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 My name is Laverna Loushen. I am a sorceress and a member of the
Sorcerers' Guild of Ohfun. My fellow sorcerers call me “The Witch”. I will
leave it unto them to decide whether or not I am a ruthless woman
worthy of the name “The Witch”; at the very least, I am not doing
anything that would violate the laws of the gods or men. However, it is
an honor for me to be a female sorceress, so I intentionally use both of
my “witch” names.
I have created this book, “The Natural History of Alecrast”, for all
scholars living on the Alecrast continent. The book consists of two parts:
"Travelogue" and "Natural History”. The “Travelogue” describes my
journeys around the Alecrast, while the “Natural History” sheds light on
the life of various creatures that inhabit the continent. This book does
not unravel any lost knowledge of the past, nor does it reveal any new
truth that has not been discovered yet. It is merely a true description of
the state of the Alecrast continent today. Nevertheless, I am convinced
that it will be useful to all those who are in the pursuit of knowledge. At
the same time, I truly hope that the time and effort that would have been
required to acquire the knowledge described in this book on your own
will be directed to a better purpose.

From the Prologue to “The Natural History of Alecrast”, the Foreword

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 The book describes the fictional world of Forcelia, a world for the role-playing game Sword
World (Sword World RPG for short), and the Sword World's main setting, the Alecrast
continent.
This book is divided into chapters according to the several regions of Alecrast. In some
cases, there is only one country in a region, but in most cases, there are multiple countries
competing for influence in that area. However, there are two chapters (the first and the last
ones) that are dedicated to one region, known as the Central Plains region, located in the
center of the continent. This is due to the organizational circumstances of this book; no other
meaning was intended. Also, to avoid confusion, it should be mentioned that the book does
not cover the cities of the Western region (also known as the Western Countries). For more
information on the setting of the Western Countries, please refer to the compilation of replay
books “The Thieves’ Rhapsody”.
Each region is further divided into separate countries. For each country, information about
local towns, villages, and scenic spots is presented in the form of a travelogue written by
Laverna the Witch. The population of each country, the number of days to the neighboring
countries, and other general information are compiled in a chapter called “Data Section”.
However, in this Sword World World Guide, I do not focus too much on data. I strongly believe
that any specific details should be left to the discretion of the gamemaster.
In addition, there are a variety of country-specific columns such as “Natural History” and
“Heroic Tales”. Some of the longer “Natural History” columns are in a separate chapter.
The travelogues were written over a period of ten years, so to fill in the time gaps between
chapters, I have included a section at the end of each country’s description entitled “The
520th Year of the New Kingdom Calendar”, which summarizes the changes in this period. If
you wish to play the Sword World RPG using the Alecrast continent as a setting, I recommend
that you start from the year 521 of the New Kingdom Calendar.
The first chapter provides a collection of myths and historical records. This section deals
with the vast period from the creation of the world to the present day in the world of Forcelia.
Finally, there is a chapter called “Appendix”, which contains commentary on big
organizations and issues concerning the whole world.
As the author, I have tried to write about the world of Forcelia as a whole, as seen through
the eyes of a single person. It will be my greatest pleasure if you find this book useful for
creating your adventure scenarios and running your own campaign games. On top of that, Ms.
Miyuki Kiyomatsu, the system designer, and other members of Group SNE helped me a lot in
the preparation of this book. Also, I have asked Mr. Sho Tomono to create the data for each
country. Mr. Hitoshi Yasuda, the supervising editor of Sword World, gave me lots of helpful
comments, as well. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all
of them.

11
Introduction 11 1. Lomar, the “Kingdom of Travelers” 65
Contents 12 2. Fandria, the “Kingdom of Chaos” 69
Chapter 1: Myths and History 13 Natural History 74
1 Age of Mythology 13 Immortal Golems 75
2 The Age of Magic 15 “The Strongest, thus the Magnificent” Mythical
Beast Dragon 77
3 The Age of Sword 16
“Full of Mysteries” Titans 79
Alecrast History Timeline 18
Silent Spirits 81
Chapter 2: The Northern Central Plains 19
Fearsome Daemons 83
1. Ohfun, the “Kingdom of Heroes” 20
The Immortals 86
2. Ramleers, the “Magical Kingdom” 26
The Evil Fairies 88
Chapter 3: The Northeast Region 33
Appendix 90
1. The Three Empires of the Northeast 34
1. The World View 91
Chapter 4: The Far East Region 39
2. Other Worlds 92
1. Mudeel, the “Farthest Kingdom” 40
3. People’s Life 94
2. Milargo, the “Kingdom of Meadows” 44
4. The Gods of Alecrast 96
3. Anoth, the “Holy Kingdom” 46
Kings and Castles 98
Chapter 5: Oran48
Temples 100
1. Oran, the “Kingdom of Scholars and
Adventurers” 49 Sorcerers’ Guilds 102
Chapter 6: The Central Region 58 Thieves’ Guilds 105
1. Eremire, the “Kingdom of Craftsmen” 59 Elves, the Noble Forest Fairies 108
2. Saine, the “Kingdom of Lakesides” 62 Dwarven Settlements 110
Chapter 7: The Southern Central Plains 64 Data Section 113

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 Chapter 1: Myths and History
People call this world the Sword World.
There was a time when the power of magic ruled this land.
Now that this power has been lost, the power of the sword decides everything.
The heroes are the ones who shape their own destiny with their power.

1 Age of Mythology
The creation myths of Forcelia are told by the priests
of all gods including the ones who worship The Six
Major Gods. However, the details of the myths differ
considerably from one religious school to another. If
we put them all together, we get the following picture.

The Primordial Titan

The birth of the Forcelia world is namely the result
of one demise. In other words, the world began with
the death of the Primordial Titan who lived for
eternity. The Primordial Titan is also called the
“Great One” and the “Creator of All Things”.
Everything was born from the corpse of this Titan.

Birth of the Gods

The first to be born from the body of the Titan were
the gods. The gods inherited the body of the Titan
and descended into the world. It is said that the six
almighty gods, known as the Six Major Gods, were
meant to be the kings of the gods. Rada, the god of
knowledge, was born from the Titan’s head, and
Marfa, the mother-goddess of the earth — from the
Titan’s abdomen. From the holy left hand of the
Titan came the supreme god Pharis, and from the
evil right hand arose the dark god Phalaris. Then,
Mylee, the god of war, appeared from the fierce right
foot of the Titan, and Cha-Za, the god of wealth and
fortune, emerged from the swift left foot.
Afterward, hundreds of subordinate gods were born,
inheriting parts of the Titan’s body.

Ancient Races
Not only gods were born from the remains of the
Primordial Titan. For example, the scales that
covered the Titan’s body gave birth to Dragons. The
Dragons were bigger than the gods and had stronger
bodies. They could spew fire from their mouths and
fly through the sky with their wings. But Dragons
were wise and obedient to their fate withal, thus they

13
accepted the gods as their rulers and became their
loyal servants.
Also, an ancient tree was born from the golden body
of the Titan. It is believed that the first fruit of the
ancient tree was full of life itself, and the gods created
numerous creatures from it. Those creatures born in
the age of primordial chaos are known as the ancient
races, and nowadays they are respected and feared
as much as the gods.
Forcelia Creation
And so began the creation of Forcelia by the hands
of the gods. First, the gods established laws for the
chaos scattered throughout the world and divided it
into several powers. Spiritual forces such as fire,
water, wind, and earth were differentiated. This is
how the Spirit Realm was born. It became the source
of the world’s power. An infinite number of higher
and lesser spirits were made the inhabitants of this
world.
Next, the gods gave birth to the Material World as a
sacred place for them to live. Nowadays, this world
is sometimes referred to as the Human Realm. On
this land, the gods created numerous creatures and
made them live as their servants. It is said that
Humans, of all beings, were created in the image of
the gods themselves, and thus were given the role of
ruling the world.
Finally, the Fairy Realm was created as an
intermediate world that connects the Spirit Realm
and the Material World. Fairies were brought forth
to be the masters of this world. They were given an
eternal mission to correctly draw spiritual forces
from the Spirit Realm and send it out to the Material
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World. It is only because of the fairies’ endeavors
that the spiritual forces are working properly in the
Material World.
The War of The Gods
The gods were completing the creation of the world
with the help of the creatures they brought to life.
Chaos was diminishing and orderliness was taking its
place. However, the world was not completed in the
end. Before the completion of the work, a
disagreement broke out among the creator gods,
which finally led to a violent war.
There is a dispute among priests over what caused
the war betwixt the gods. However, the general
interpretation is likely to be as follows. As the world
was coming into being, the gods started thinking
about its possible future. They gathered to discuss
their vision of how to run the new world. However,
the discussion ended in a total failure. The worlds
that the gods had striven for were too different from
each other. The Supreme God preached a world
governed by the laws of light, while the Dark God
demanded complete freedom.
A small conflict eventually led to a big rivalry. Finally,
there was war. The Dark God summoned the gods
who stood by his side and challenged all the other
gods to battle. The War of the Gods began. The key
players in the battle were Dragons, an ancient race,
who, as is known, had enormous bodies and were
physically the strongest of all creatures.
It is said that the Dragons of ancient times were
much bigger than the Dragons that exist today.
People say that the Ancient Dragon lords could
cover the entire sky when they spread their wings.
Moreover, the flames spewed from their mouths
could even destroy the immortal bodies of the gods.
The gods of light, unified around the Supreme God,
and the gods of darkness, led by the Dark God, both
summoned thousands of Ancient Dragon lords. And
each time they failed to destroy each other, they
continued fighting. The heavens parted, the earth
trembled, and the world that was about to be created
suffered great destruction.
It was not only Dragons who were summoned for the
battle. Humans, fairies, spirits, and all other
inhabitants of the Three Realms gathered and
divided into two camps to fight. Since the Material
World was a home for the gods, it is assumed that
the battle took place in the Material World.
15
The battle seemed to go on forever, but eventually,
it came to an end. There was no winner on either
side. For the Ancient Dragon lords incinerated the
bodies of all the gods, destroying their existence. The
souls of the immortal gods have been scattered
across the Three Realms and have lost the means to
intervene in the world. After the gods, the Ancient
Dragon lords destroyed each other, until eventually
there was only one Dragon left. The last Dragon lord
was deeply wounded and went into a long sleep to
regenerate his body.
As a result, the Ancient Dragon lords became known
as the “god-slaying Dragons”. Thus, the age of gods,
often called the Age of Mythology, came to an end.
2 The Age of Magic
The age of the gods was over, and the world was left
to those created by the gods. Only a few survived the
War of the Gods. But survivors definitely existed.
Thus, the Age of History begins. And it was the
power of “magic” that first set history in motion.
The Age of Darkness
The War of the Gods was over, and the previous
chaos was about to take over the world again. Those
who had survived the War of the Gods gathered
together, sharing what little food they had,
occasionally fighting over it in an attempt to preserve
their lives.
This period is called the Age of Darkness, and some
say it lasted for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Although Humans had been made rulers of the
Material World by the gods themselves, ancient
Humans were never powerful beings. In fact, they
were the most powerless creatures in the world.
They did not have huge and strong bodies like Titans,
nor did they possess the power to control spirits as
fairies and youma did. However, among Humans,
were those who had inherited special skills given by
the gods, which they passed on and developed.
The Founders
What Humans received from the gods, they called
“magic”. Withal, there was a language to cause
miracles to happen. The early Humans had not yet
learned how to use magic properly. However, ten
great sages unraveled the true meaning of the words
given by the gods and developed the art of weaving
magic at their will. The ten sages are known today as
the Founders. They used their magical powers to
build the first kingdom of Humans in history. This
was the beginning of the Magical Kingdom known as
Kastool.
The Kingdom of Kastool
The people of Kastool were slowly but surely
developing their magical civilization and expanding
their territory. Villages became large towns, and
eventually huge cities. The cities belonging to the
kingdom were centered on the eastern side of
Alecrast but eventually spread throughout the whole
continent. Yet, the area governed by Humans was
limited. The power of chaos was still strong once one
stepped out into the wilderness. Other creatures, like
Titans, youma, and fairies, had established their own
kingdoms, too. Some of them interacted with
Humans, like Dwarves and Grassrunners. However,
there were many races hostile to Humans, including
youma, Dark Elves, and Cyclopes.
Eventually, the magical civilization of Kastool
reached its apex, having come to possess
overwhelming power. Alas, this time heralded the
end of the almighty kingdom.
The Fall of the Kingdom
In the last days of the kingdom, a great invention was
made. It was the completion of the Magical Tower.
The tower was a huge magical device that gathered
and stored the magic power that filled the world of
Forcelia. From this tower, the sorcerers were able to
draw unlimited magic energy using the crystals
embedded in their bodies. The use of magic, which
until then had been constrained by the physical
limitations of a Human body, achieved a real
breakthrough.
Thus, the sorcerers of the Kingdom of Kastool, who
had gained unlimited magical power, began to
exercise powerful magic. They conquered fairies and
youma living in the Material World and even ruled
over the great ancient races like Titans and Dragons
making them their servants. However, the great
development of magic eventually led to the demise
of the kingdom.
A single monster was the one who destroyed the
Kingdom of Kastool. According to history books,
the monster’s name was Aton. It was a monster of
chaos possessing multiple spiritual powers. His
appearance resembled that of Behemoth, The Lord
of the Earth Spirits. He could spit fire from his
mouth and use all types of spirit magic. The monster
grew by feeding on the spiritual forces around it.
Even the mighty sorcerers of the Kingdom of
Kastool could not defeat Aton. The monster was
transforming into a giant creature capable of eating
the world itself.
There was a myth of the apocalypse being told within
the temples of the supreme god Pharis. It claimed
that the world would be destroyed by the birth of the
Titan of Doom. The world began with the death of
the Primordial Titan, thus it would end with the birth
of the Titan of Doom. The Titan of Doom was
considered to be the reincarnation of the Primordial
Titan who would live for eternity until the beginning
of a new world.
Whether they believed in the myth or not, the
sorcerers foresaw the end of the world in Aton. They
began their research, using the maximum amount of
magic they could muster to defeat Aton.
As a result, they created a sword known as Farlam’s
Sword. It was named so because it was forged from
the body of the wizard-king of that time, Farlam.
Farlam’s Sword was the only weapon that the
Magical Kingdom was able to create to conquer
Aton. Farlam's Sword was entrusted unto a man
known as the best warrior in the Kingdom of
Kastool.
Indeed, the sword brought the desired result. Aton's
body was destroyed to the point of no regeneration.
However, the price paid by the Magical Kingdom
was also great. The magic power required by the
sword was so unimaginably huge that even the
seemingly limitless Magical Tower could not hold it.
As a result, the Magical Tower collapses, causing a
tremendous explosion.
The Kingdom of Kastool, which had lost its infinite
magic power, was destroyed within a few years due
to the rebellion of the savage tribes it had enslaved.
3 The Age of Sword
In the Age of Darkness, some Humans were trying
to survive not by magic given by the gods, but by
using other powers. In the days of the Kingdom of
Kastool, which flourished through the utilization of
magic, they were oppressed as savages and suffered
deprivations of slavery. But when the magic waned,
the power they possessed was enough to replace it.
This power was the power of a sword.
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The Age of War
The Magical Tower was destroyed. At the same time,
the Kingdom of Kastool lost many nobles, including
the wizard-king, and rapidly lost its power. Taking
advantage of this opportunity, savage tribes who had
been enslaved by the sorcerers of the Kingdom of
Kastool revolted. With the help of a sword, they
brought the kingdom to ruin and slaughtered all of
the former rulers.
This period of wars lasted for a few years, resulting
in the complete destruction of the Kingdom of
Kastool and the end of the Age of Magic. The year
in which the last city of the Kingdom of Kastool was
destroyed is considered to be the first year of the
New Kingdom calendar.
The Birth of the New Kingdoms
Thus, the Age of Sword began, and we, the ancestors
of humanity, became the leading figures of history.
The first kingdom to rise after the fall of Kastool was
the Kingdom of Ramleers in the Northern Central
Plains region. Even though the people of that time
seemed to have a near hatred-feeling towards magic,
citizens of this kingdom chose to use the power of
the sword and magic together. The Kingdom of
Ramleers continued to prosper, passing on the
remains of the magic knowledge of the Kingdom of
Kastool to the present day.
During this period, several kingdoms rose in various
places to replace the Kingdom of Kastool, the largest
of which was the Kingdom of Thadyne, which
emerged in the south-central part of the Alecrast
continent. The Kingdom of Thadyne extended its
power to the east and west, absorbing other countries
and creating a large unified kingdom in the southern
part of the continent. Its dominance was based on
the strength of its armed forces, consisting of
powerful heavily armed infantry corps. If the
inhabitants of a city showed any disobedience to the
Kingdom of Thadyne, an army would immediately
be dispatched to completely destroy the city and
slaughter all of its citizens. Therefore, the period
when the Kingdom of Thadyne was in power is
called the time of “peace through fear”.
17
Changes in Various Kingdoms
Eventually, the Kingdom of Thadyne was weakened
by the inner power struggle over the succession to
the throne. Civil wars broke out all over the country,
and the neighboring countries joined forces to fight
against the Kingdom of Thadyne. In the end, the
Kingdom of Thadyne was destroyed, but a period of
wars continued for some time after. This time is
known as the Warring States period when for about
a hundred years, wars of all sizes were fought in
various regions. After that, the Alecrast continent
settled down to what we see today. In the Eastern
region and the Central Plains, large kingdoms with
several cities in their territories emerged. However,
there have been a few occasions since the Warring
States period when kings have been replaced or the
names of the countries have changed. In some
regions, conflicts left from the Warring States period
continue to this day.
Meanwhile, in the west, the Great Kingdom of Bore
emerged. It lasted for a while as a huge unified
kingdom, but following its demise, individual cities
split up and became independent city-states.
The Founding of Ohfun
Ohfun is the most recent kingdom to emerge.
Located in the Northern Central Plains, the
kingdom was founded in the 500th year of the New
Kingdom Calendar. Ohfun is known as the
“Kingdom of Heroes” and the “Kingdom of
Swords”. Its founder king, Rijal the Dragon-Slayer
Hero, is the most famous warrior on the Alecrast
continent.
At the same time, in the Southern Central Plains, the
Kingdom of Reide challenged the Kingdom of
Lomar to war but was defeated and conquered. After
these two incidents in the Central Plains region,
there were no more conflicts betwixt the kingdoms.
However, there are still battles being fought in
various parts of Alecrast, and there are still many
ambitious kings who are waiting for an opportunity
to take over other countries’ territories. No one can
predict when the map of the Alecrast continent will
be redrawn again in the future.
Alecrast History Timeline
The first year of the New Kingdom Calendar: The fall of The Kingdom of Kastool. The first kingdom of the
savages (i.e. modern Alecrastians), Thadyne, is founded in western Alecrast.
The 7th year: The Kingdom of Ramleers is founded.
The 10th year: The last fortress of the Ancient Kingdom falls. Everyone who was holed up in the fortress is
beheaded; their corpses are exposed on the streets.
The 70th year: The Kingdom of Thadyne establishes a unified kingdom from the eastern to the central parts of
the continent.
The beginning of the “peace through fear” period.
The 200th year: King Deuna VII of the Kingdom of Thadyne is assassinated.
The beginning of the Warring States period caused by the leading nobles.
The 270th year: The Warring States period is over. Borders of the eastern kingdoms become almost the same as
they are nowadays.
Oran also rises at this time.
The 350th year: The “Road of Free People” across the southern part of the continent is completed.
The 375th year: Around this time the Great Kingdom of Bore is destroyed. Various cities of the kingdom became
independent, forming the city-states of today.
The 430th year: In the current lands of Ohfun, the Kingdom of Phun rises.
The 490th year: Evil Dragon Krish destroys the Kingdom of Moraana.
The 494th year: Civil wars in the Kingdom of Phun. The city-state of Python in southern Fandria is annexed.
The 495th year: Rijal’s military exploits. Krish defeated.
The 500th year: The end of civil wars in the Kingdom of Phun. King Rijal founds Ohfun.

The 510th year: The beginning of Laverna’s journey⑴.

The 521st year: Laverna’s return. “The Natural History of Alecrast” is published.

⑴
Translation Note. In the subsequent text, it is mentioned that Laverna begins her journey in 511 of the New Kingdom
Calendar. Therefore, it is likely that 510 here is a typographical error.
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19
1. Ohfun, the “Kingdom of Heroes”
1.1 Departure. Chronicles: the Year 511
It was on the fourth day of the third month of the
511th year of the New Kingdom Calendar that I left
my home country of Ohfun.
A few days earlier, when I betook myself to the
Sorcerers’ Guild of Ohfun, I was suddenly
summoned by my master. He bade me come with
him unto the royal palace. I had been unto the royal
palace with the master on several occasions before.
Sometimes it was to serve as an educator for young
princes and princesses, and other times it was to
recite poetry in a lower ancient language at a
welcome party for guests from other countries.
However, the teacher’s intention that day was clearly
different.
I had a feeling that it was something serious, and
indeed, when I was ushered into the presence of His
Majesty King Rijal I of Ohfun, he personally bade
me take charge of a research expedition throughout
Alecrast.
At first, I thought the purpose of this trip was to
investigate the state of affairs in other countries, so I
refused. I did not want my information to be used
for warfare. However, the king’s objective proved to
be different. He genuinely wanted to know what
Alecrast was like these days. He was curious to see
what creatures lived around the continent, what
kinds of countries existed, and how people lived
there, all of which he would never have known by
simply settling in one kingdom. That must have been
the desire of King Rijal as the one who had once
traveled around the world at will as an adventurer
finding fulfillment in expanding his knowledge.
At that time I felt the same way. Truths that could
not be learned only through the lessons taught by
masters of magic, might be found in the journey. If
we, the scholars, reviewed what the travelers had
learned through experience with the knowledge we
had accumulated, we might discover new facts. In
addition, I had always wanted to have an opportunity
to meet my great predecessors, such as Mana Rai,
the great scholar of Oran, or the court sorcerers of
Ramleers, and exchange opinions on the various
mysteries that remain to be solved.
So I decided to undertake this journey.
The only people accompanying me were Lind, the
minstrel, Aristea, the priestess of Mylee, the God of
War, Rondamis the knight of Ohfun, and a few
soldiers under his command. This journey was going
to be a dangerous one. But the joy of acquiring new
knowledge was more intoxicating than the danger.
Or was I born with a longing for adventure inside of
me?
Thus, after a few days, we left Ohfun and headed
east.
1.2. Ohfun. Chronicles: the Year 511
Let me start by describing my homeland, Ohfun.
Ohfun is a newborn kingdom that was founded by a
single warrior named Rijal in the year 500 of the New
Kingdom Calendar. Thenceforth, it has gone
through several wars for territory expansion and has
come to be known as a major power in the Central
Plains region, along with its neighbor, Ramleers.
From the west to the north the kingdom is
surrounded by an arc of high peaks of the Yasgarn
Mountains. The south is adjoined by the Kingdom
of Fandria, starting with the so-called “Forest of
Strife”, Tarshas. To the east, the Kingdom of
Ramleers is thriving. Two main roads run east to
west: a southbound trade route leading unto Fandria
and a northbound mountain road heading unto
Ramleers, along which towns and villages have
sprung up. Ohfun is a confederation of four cities
and dozens of towns and villages under its control.
Each city has its own governor, castle, and limited
autonomy.
Most of the country’s territory consists of gently
sloping hills, covered with low grasses, where people
cultivate grain and raise cattle. In addition, the
Yasgarn Mountains provide high-purity iron ore,
which is used to produce weapons, armor, and
farming tools. This is the main industry of the
country and the products are popular merchandise
among peddlers. The forests to the south are home
to many hunters and woodcutters, who live off the
gifts of the forest for their daily livelihood.
The military exploits of Founder King Rijal have
been the subject of so many minstrel songs that they
have become somewhat of a legend. I do not intend
to confirm all the elements mentioned in his saga,
but I can assure you that there is no falsehood about
20
the king’s swordsmanship. I am not going to interfere
with the worldly rumors about who is the best
swordsman. Even if thou lettest them all fight on five-
minute terms, thou wouldst never know for sure who
would win.
Queen Melete was also the last queen of the Great
Kingdom of Phun, the predecessor of Ohfun and
Fandria. Shortly after her marriage, her husband, the
king, was assassinated, which triggered a civil war in
the Kingdom of Phun. Queen Melete is the fifth
princess of the long-defunct Kingdom of Moraana,
and withal a daughter of a noble lineage connected
to the royal family of the great Kingdom of Thadyne
that existed several hundred years ago. Two princes
and three princesses have been born to the king and
queen, and the eldest, Prince Rittler, has been
proclaimed a crown prince.
Besides the king, the most influential people in the
country’s government are the chancellor and head of
The Sorcerers’ Guild (that is, my teacher), Karves
the Great, and the supreme priestess of war god
Mylee in the Central Plains region, Jenny the
Princess of the Sword, who rules nearby temples.
Both of them are old adventure companions of King
Rijal. Together they are the heroes who defeated the
Evil Dragon Krish. Of course, the two of them are
among the best on Alecrast in terms of divine and
ancient magic.
I was once fortunate enough to be present at the
resuscitation ritual conducted by Supreme Priestess
Jenny. The ritual lasted for two days without a break.
Throughout the ceremony, I could feel the magic
flowing directly through my skin. That was the
moment that made me truly realize how powerful
Supreme Priestess Jenny’s divine magic was.
Aside from these founder heroes, the nobles who
have supported the Queen since the days of the
Kingdom of Phun have taken up key positions in
national politics and are now cooperating with King
Rijal. In addition, the power of the Blacksmiths’
Guild, which has flourished since ancient times and
is the center of the kingdom’s industry, is so
noticeable that even the king can hardly ignore it.
Thus the head of the guild, Lord Yunker, and the
leader of the Dwarf clan, Cauze the Ironbeard, who
is indispensable to the mining industry, have a
significant influence in society. For the Dwarves, in
particular, Ohfun imports large quantities of fine ale
and wine so that they can work comfortably. It is
quite common to see wagons filled with barrels of
wine coming and going along the roads. This is
21
probably why the northern road is also called the
“Ale Road”.
1.3. Ohfun Governence System.
Chronicles: the Year 511
Although Ohfun is a new kingdom, its system of
governance is no less advanced than that of other
countries. In fact, it can be said that it was the
country’s young age that allowed it to adopt the most
progressive institutional systems.
King Rijal, being a warrior, is the actual head of the
military and police forces of the country. The
primary force of the army is the knights of the Order
of the Iron Spear, and under them are the soldiers.
In the case of large-scale battles, new troops are
recruited from the civilians, but it is left up to their
own will to decide whether or not to accept the call.
I appreciate this policy of the kingdom because it
leaves wars only for those who want to fight.
In peacetime, knights and soldiers perform duties
like guarding castles, maintaining security in villages
and towns, and patrolling national borders. The
knights of the best families and those who are
recognized for their abilities are appointed as
ministers and hold important positions in the
government. They also have a number of officials
under them, but those of lower rank are hired from
among the citizens. Some knights may also be sent
to local towns and villages as feudal lords. In small
villages where there is no local feudal lord, a village
headman is elected by the villagers to take over the
responsibilities of a feudal lord, but officials from the
royal capital, such as regional inspectors and tax
collectors, make regular visits to maintain public
order and collect taxes.
In Ohfun, knights of a higher rank such as ministers
and feudal lords are treated as nobles. In recent years,
these noblemen are often given titles such as duke
and count, but these titles are generally not
recognized in Ohfun. For the attitude that knights
must always be loyal to the king is strongly
established in society. Ohfun is a new kingdom, so
the king’s power is still strong in all parts of the
country.
1.4. The mining town of Goudon.
Chronicles: the Year 511
I decided to go east to the Kingdom of Ramleers via
the Ale Road. There are many small and big villages
and towns scattered along this road, but I was
particularly interested in the town of Goudon, where
lots of Dwarves live, so I decided to stop by there.
Goudon is a city with a long history of prosperity in
the mining industry. The iron ore produced here is
refined into steel and then transported to the
blacksmiths’ guilds throughout the land. Dwarves are
not members of the Blacksmiths’ Guild, but they
have special qualifications that allow them to create
high-quality and beautifully ornamented weapons
and armor. Their creations are extremely expensive,
but they are also very popular as accessories and
works of art, making them a subject of great interest
to many merchants. Dwarven products are sold here
in Goudon at about half the price of anywhere else
in the world, so many people come from other
countries to buy them.
To have access to the mine, I decided to visit Cauze
the Ironbeard. He graciously accepted my request
and volunteered to guide me around his mine. Thus,
I was able to visit this renowned place whence such
exquisite artworks come. I am a woman, and not very
tall, but I still had to bend down to walk inside the
mine. As I walked out after taking a quick look
around the entrance and the mining area, I had an
unfortunate accident.
All of a sudden, youma attacked.
Two Hobgoblins, five Goblins, and a group of about
ten Kobolds, apparently their slaves, lashed out at us.
From what I have heard, this kind of thing does not
happen very often, maybe once or twice a decade.
Youma in general are wicked and vicious, but
Dwarves and other mine workers hate Kobolds most
of them all. Cauze later told me that this was because
of their legendary ability to corrode silver and
because they were believed to be a race created to
ruin the world. On the other hand, Goblins also have
a deep hatred for Dwarves, and sometimes the most
reckless ones attack them.
The Ironbeard took the battleaxe from one of his
subordinate Dwarves and rushed at the youma
without even listening to my attempts to stop him. I
had no choice but to support him with the “Arrow of
Light” spell, but after the battle was over, I received
a mild rebuke from him for taking away his fun. It
was true that he alone could have easily defeated the
Goblins: after only a few minutes, there were no
more of them moving, and we were all amazed at the
strength of Ironbeard and his clan.

22
Heroic Tales ⦿ Laverna the Witch
Laverna, the sorceress who wrote the “Natural
History of Alecrast”, was only twelve years old when
she joined the Sorcerers’ Guild of Ohfun. She was
the daughter of a merchant who lived in the city of
Phun, and from an early age, she showed great talent
in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Amazed by her
talent, her father sent her to the newly founded
Sorcerers’ Guild Academy.
As soon as Laverna entered the academy, she
immediately showed her talent. She mastered two
ancient languages, higher and lower, and also
acquired some elementary magic techniques. Like
dry sand absorbing water, the girl absorbed the vast
amount of knowledge needed to become a scholar.
As she grew older, she became a woman of sheer
chilling beauty, as well as mastered more advanced
magic, qualifying as a master of magic at only 18. The
apprentice sorcerers of the academy looked at her
with fear, calling the girl “the witch”. However,
Laverna does not care what others say about her. On
the contrary, she started to use the second name
“The Witch” to refer to herself, too.
Later, Laverna was chosen as the leader of a research
expedition around the Alecrast continent, initiated
by King Rijal of Ohfun, and set off on her journey.
She and her companions spent ten years traveling all
over the continent to eventually compile the
“Natural History of Alecrast”. When Laverna started
this expedition, she was less than twenty years old.
Such talent is truly worthy of the name of “The
Witch”.

23
Heroic Tales ⦿ Rijal’s Military Exploits head, as if hesitant to even think about it. The only
thing he ever revealed was that he had almost died
The heroic deeds of the founder king of Ohfun, Rijal, ten times.
have become almost a legend on the Alecrast
continent, even though they took place around It must have been a fierce battle. With the help of
twenty years ago. The trial that immortalized his Jenny’s sacred magic of Mylee and Karves’s ancient
name was his battle with the Dragon priest and Evil magic, Rijal must have thrust his sword at the Dragon
Dragon Krish on the Chain of Bizarre Cliffs in the hundreds or thousands of times. If he had been
middle of Lake Air. attacked by a Dragon even once during that time, he
would have lost his own life.
Rijal lived as a simple adventurer in the Central
Plains region, but an encounter with a woman But Rijal survived, only for his passionate desire to
changed his destiny forever. That woman was Melete. protect the woman he loves.
She was the queen of the Great Kingdom of Phun, Afterward, Rijal returned to the Kingdom of Phun,
shaken by civil wars after the assassination of her where he helped Melete defeat one by one the
husband, the king. She was also the fifth princess of royalty and nobles who were claiming the title of king.
Moraana, a small country that was destroyed by the The people who supported Melete were more than
Dragon priest Krish. satisfied with Rijal’s work. At the same time, they
For Krish, the leader of the savage tribes that held knew that Melete’s heart was leaning toward this
sway over the shores of Lake Air, all the people of brave warrior. Thus, Rijal’s battle was not to end the
the royal family of Moraana were his most hated civil wars in the Kingdom of Phun but to establish a
enemies. His own family had been slaughtered new kingdom. A few years later, Rijal successfully
because of the machinations of the King of Moraana. accomplished his goal.
Krish was the only one who escaped. In order to take In the year 500 of the New Kingdom Calendar, Rijal
revenge, he trained in the family’s secret art of married Queen Melete and proclaimed the founding
Draconic magic. He attempted to absorb the power of the new Kingdom of Ohfun.
of the Dragon, the most powerful mythical beast,
into his own body. Krish’s persistence paid off. He
mastered the highest secret of Draconic magic. It was
a terrible spell that transformed him into a Dragon.
After transforming into a Dragon, Krish attacked the
royal castle of Moraana and killed all the royal family
members. However, his revenge was not yet
complete. Melete, who had married into another
kingdom’s royal family, was still alive. And so, Krish
transformed into a Dragon once again and flew unto
the Kingdom of Phun. He wanted to eliminate
Queen Melete, the last of the Moraana’s royal family.
Queen Melete hired many mercenaries and
adventurers to save her life and protect the Kingdom
of Phun, which was shaken by civil wars. One of
them was the Rijal of old.
Struck by the beauty and integrity of Queen Melete,
Rijal decided to pledge his sword to her. With his
two companions, Jenny, a priestess of the god Mylee,
and Karves, a sorcerer, he set off for Lake Air, the
dwelling place of Krish.
How the three of them defeated the Evil Dragon
Krish remains within the bounds of imagination.
Rijal himself prefers not to talk about it. Whenever
the topic comes up, he falls silent and shakes his

24
Alecrast Natural History. Earth Youma
Kobold
Kobolds are small youma with quite an unusual
appearance: they have a dog-like face and a tail. They
have no body hair and their scaly skin makes them
look a lot like reptiles. These youma are sometimes
even seen in Human cities, so most people are
familiar with their kind. Kobolds are mean but
cowardly, and will not attack unless one shows
weakness.
In my long journey, I have encountered these youma
countless times, but only twice have I actually been
attacked by them. In both cases, it was nighttime and
the number of attackers was far greater than the
number of my people. However, there was no way
that my fellow warriors could be outdone by such
low-ranked youma, and in no time at all, they were
either running away or crying and pleading for their
lives.
I decided to take one of the surviving Kobolds from
the first fight as a slave. He meekly followed my
orders and became a part of our group, but
unfortunately and ironically enough, in a battle in the
Goblin Woods an arrow fired by his fellow Kobold
struck him in the stomach and he lost his life.
He served me well while we were together, but I
Anyway, Kobolds’ small size and cowardice make it
knew that deep down he always feared and hated me.
difficult to believe the Dwarven legends. However,
I felt much better knowing that because that meant
ever since I learned about this legend, whenever I
that I had no reason to hesitate in using him this way.
see Kobolds, I get a chill on my back. It is as if their
Even when thou showest them mercy, they never
appearance is a false mask to hide the true
understand it, and there is naught thou canst do
awfulness...
about it. Kobolds and Humans will probably remain
enemies forever. Kobolds live in groups of several to several dozen in
forests and hills close to Human settlements. They
When it comes to hating Kobolds, earth fairies
may attack domestic animals, but they rarely harm
Dwarves are the first to be mentioned. Dwarves
Humans. However, ye should never let your guard
believe that Kobolds can corrode silver, and at the
down.
same time, that they are a race created to ruin the
world. According to one apocalyptic legend passed They are wicked youma, no doubt about it.
on among Dwarves, the world will be doomed when
Kobolds complete their stone-crushing game in the
Fairy Realm. Of course, the truth is unknown.

25
2. Ramleers, the “Magical Kingdom”
2.1. Ramleers. Chronicles: the Year 511 artful wares are produced. On the other hand, the
southern part of the country is a flat plain, with
The Kingdom of Ramleers is the oldest known and forests of all sizes spreading everywhere. In this
most venerable kingdom on the Alecrast continent. region, cattle breeding and agriculture are the main
Although it has already been four hundred years sources of income. In particular, cattle breeding,
since its founding, the kingdom is well known centering on horse breeding, is the most prosperous
throughout the continent as a peaceful country that industry in Ramleers. The horses from Ramleers are
has not experienced any political deterioration said to be of the highest quality in the Alecrast. They
(except for Viscount Almozarn’s treason). are especially good as warhorses and are often sold
to orders of knighthood in other countries. However,
The legends about the founding of the kingdom say
the royal family of Ramleers purchases the best
that the Kingdom of Ramleers was established in the
steeds on a priority basis to bestow them to the
7th year of the New Kingdom Calendar. If this turns
knights of the kingdom. Since horses play an
out to be true, it will mean that more than 500 years
important role in warfare, this is a natural measure.
have passed thenceforth.
Among the knights who ride these fine warhorses,
Whether the legends about the founding of
there are many masters of ancient magic, making
Ramleers are true or not is a matter of dispute among
them one of the most powerful military units on the
scholars, but there is no doubt that Ramleers is
continent.
indeed the oldest of the existing kingdoms.
Despite the differences with the much younger
Kingdom of Ohfun, the two kingdoms maintain
friendly relationships, and King Rijal of Ohfun has
visited Ramleers on several occasions.
The cities of Ramleers are strongly influenced by the
period of the Kingdom of Kastool, with their
manifold oddly shaped buildings that completely
differ from the architecture of other countries.
In addition to a large number of sorcerers, Ramleers
is a rare kingdom where all the kings of the past were
magic users.
What is more, the kingdom possesses a highly
treasured sword, called “Van Blade”, which has been
passed down for generations and is believed to be
the strongest of all the existing magic swords of the
Ancient Kingdom.
In the south of the country lie the Unicorn Woods
which leads to Lake Air famous for its Chain of
Bizarre Cliffs. To the east there is the dreadful
Desert of Empty, to the north, across the Yasgarn
Mountains, is the Sea of Ice, and to the west lie the Folklore ⦿ The legend of the founding
kingdoms of Ohfun and Fandria. of Ramleers
The climate of Ramleers is cold. Although it does The stories surrounding the founding of Ramleers
not snow much, cold winters occupy half of the year. have already become a legend rather than history.
To the north, the kingdom is surrounded by the high This legend is a favorite subject of minstrels as a
peaks of the Yasgarn Mountains, which, like in the heroic tale as well as a love story and is still told in
Kingdom of Ohfun, are rich in iron and copper. many taverns today. It goes as follows.
Although smaller in size than the city of Goudon,
there are several Dwarven settlements where various

26
Young Raffinia was a girl of a savage tribe living in
the Unicorn Woods. She was the daughter of a clan
leader and a brave warrior. The girl spent her days
wandering around the forest with her trusty Unicorn.
One day, as the maiden was making her way through
the forest, as usual, she saw a young man being
chased by men from a neighboring tribe. Legend has
it that the encounter was guided by destiny. The girl
bravely took up the fight against the men of the
neighboring tribe, who were also enemies of her own
clan. Her skill with bow and arrow was the best in the
tribe, and she was withal well-versed in using a spear.
Together with her Unicorn, she kicked the men
away and saved the young man’s life.
The young man was badly wounded but still holding
a sword in his hands like it was the only thing that
mattered. This sword was the legendary treasure
later passed on from generation to generation in the
royal family of Ramleers under the name of Van
Blade. The Unicorn acceded to the maiden’s
request and healed the man’s wounds with the
magical power of its horn.
The young man introduced himself as Alestus. He
came from the already destroyed Kingdom of
Kastool. The girl’s tribe had a rule that people from
the Kingdom of Kastool had to be killed because
they were considered to be wicked demons. But
Raffinia could not obey this law. The young man was
kind and knew many marvelous songs. The maiden
realized that she fell in love with him.
A tense argument ensued in the girl’s tribe over the
young man. However, the wise tribe leader found
him to be free of evil intentions, and a shaman
skilled in magic also revealed the same result using
divination. The young man was accepted as a
member of the tribe. He had knowledge of various
things and surprising techniques. He developed a
tactic that allowed them to destroy the neighboring
tribe and take back all their livestock.
Raffinia led the warriors of the tribe to make her
beloved young man the king of the region. Armed
with spears, bows, and arrows, astride Unicorns, they
rode through forests and meadows.
Five years later, the goal was achieved. The young
man was elected as the leader of the tribe and
married Raffinia. Then Alestus proclaimed the
founding of the Kingdom of Ramleers. This word
means “forest” in the language of the Kingdom of
Kastool. Thus, the girl forsook her forest but then
found a new one. As if its role was over, Raffinia’s
27
Unicorn left its beloved maiden in the hands of the
young man and ran shining with its pure white body
to its home in the Unicorn Woods.
2.2. The Ancient City of Lynas.
Chronicles: the Year 511
When we arrived in Lynas, the royal capital of
Ramleers, our first objective was to pay a courtesy
call to the King of Ramleers, who is known to have a
long history of rule and is said to be a descendant of
the royal family from the Ancient Kingdom of
Kastool.
I had an official letter from King Rijal for this
purpose. It was signed as a letter “from a distant
brother”. King Rijal’s proclamation that he has royal
ancestry from the first kingdom has become a source
of laughter among scholars throughout Alecrast. No
one can confirm whether this is true or not, although
there is almost no chance that it is true.
I have no intention of inquiring into this matter or
criticizing the king. I do not think King Rijal is any
worse than kings of other countries, and if ye are
concerned about family lineage, it is enough to trace
the genealogy of Queen Melete. Queen Melete is
from a prestigious family that has roots that can be
traced back to the royal family of the Kingdom of
Thadyne, the great power in the early days of the
New Kingdom Period. In terms of noble bloodline,
she is in no way inferior to the royal families of other
countries.
I understand that King Rijal’s words were an
expression of his desire to deepen the friendly
relationship with the Kingdom of Ramleers. And it
has always been the practice of kings of all ages to
assert the nobility of their lineage.
Anyway, we were allowed to enter the royal castle of
Ramleers as official envoys of King Rijal. For now,
relations betwixt the two countries are favorable
“because the two kings are distant relatives”.
Ramleers is the “Magical Kingdom”, while my home
country, Ohfun, is the “Kingdom of Swords”. Many
countries see the alliance betwixt the two as
dangerous, but I do not think the two countries are
that close. I would say it is only a superficial
friendship.
Although King Illuarna XIV is a person of a
respectable age, he seems to be a very broad-minded
man. He still participates in the regular horse-riding
competitions showing great results, and I also heard
that he hunts and horseback rides as a part of his sorrow that time can change people in every possible
daily routine. way (Added in 518 of the New Kingdom Calendar).
We were granted an audience with King Illuarna and At the banquet, I was forced to recite a poem in the
ushered into his audience chamber. We presented lower ancient language accompanied by Lind’s lute.
him with an official letter from King Rijal, along with Rondamis was dragged into participating in the
a set of Dwarven armor that we had purchased in horse-riding competition held on the morrow. He
Gudon as a gesture of friendship, successfully outplayed three men in an unfamiliar game of
completing our role as diplomatic envoys. jousting but lost to the fourth. It might have been just
the right result to save the face of both sides of
After this, the King graciously hosted a grand knighthood.
banquet for us. There I met two interesting boys.
One of them was Prince Flarehorn, the crown prince The responsibility of being a diplomatic envoy was
and the next king. The other was his cousin, one I was not used to, so during my stay in Lynas, I
Viscount Almozarn, who is about three years older had almost no time to relax.
than the prince.
Prince Flarehorn was a boy of gentle nature, and it
was hard to believe that he was a prince of the
kingdom with a such long history. He seemed to be
interested in horsemanship and swordsmanship
rather than learning, as he never left the side of my
traveling companion, Knight Rondamis, eager to
hear more about warfare. The knights of Ramleers
were well-trained but had no experience in real
battle. Therefore, Rondamis, who had been an
adventurer in the past and had participated in several
territory expansion wars, was the best person to
satisfy the boy’s curiosity. As a knight of the Order
of the Iron Spear, he seemed to be the perfect
companion for the crown prince.
Meanwhile, I had more in common with Viscount
Almozarn. As befitting the royalty of the Magical
Kingdom, he seemed to be curious about the
Ancient Kingdom of Kastool and its magical
civilization. He was also deeply interested in ancient
magic and apparently had already mastered the
basics of the higher ancient language. After talking to
these clever boys, I had no doubt that the next 2.3. Unicorn Woods. Chronicles: the
generation of the Kingdom of Ramleers would Year 511
prosper under their leadership.
I decided to be honest with King Illuarna about the
Prince Flarehorn would be a great king, and purpose of my journey. I expressed my willingness
Viscount Almozarn would be a good advisor at his to present the first manuscript of my journey as soon
side. The current monarch King Illuarna had a as I had completed it and requested the king’s
famous magician, Reclio (who is also known by the cooperation. I really wanted to get the chance to visit
nickname “Bigot” and whom I have not been able to the Unicorn Woods. It is impossible to talk about
meet in spite of my eagerness to do so), but Viscount mythical beasts without examining the forest, and just
Almozarn seemed to have enough potential to because I was an official envoy did not mean that I
succeed him. could break the law of Ramleers and enter the forest
sans permission. If such a fact was discovered, it
It never occurred to me at the time that these two
could lead to a conflict betwixt the two countries.
royals would someday put their lives on the line in a
competition for the throne. I could hardly believe King Illuarna the Wise heeded my request.
my ears when I heard the rumors, realizing with deep Moreover, he also provided us with two people to

28
guide us through the forest: Judith, a female knight their laws. Hence, they are said to be the second
and a member of the Forest Guardians, and Kenny, guardians of the Unicorn Woods.
a young druid who adhered to the teachings of nature
We decided to set up camp near the village and
worship.
spend two months in the Unicorn Woods to study
First, I was taken to a forest spring where Unicorns the ecology of these mythical beasts. We found out
are often seen. There, I saw a Unicorn of ineffable that there were other well-known mythical beasts in
beauty drinking water gracefully. Since I met the the forest, such as Pegasuses, Centaurs, Griffins, and
requirements necessary to touch the Unicorn, I was Hippogryphs, and succeeded in studying them as
able to observe the creature up close. As one would well.
expect, my heart was not pure enough to pass the
“Judgment of the Spring” but the Unicorn was still After the tour to the forest was over, Judith and
quite friendly unto me, which brought me a moment Kenny continued to accompany us on our journey,
thanks to the goodwill of the King of Ramleers.
of sheer happiness.
Judith’s skills with a shortbow and shortsword were
In other forests, Unicorns have been excessively quite impressive, and druid Kenny was an excellent
hunted for their healing properties and they are spirit user, so their joining would be a great help to
rarely seen now, but in this forest, they continue to us on our journey. Although Knight Rondamis was
thrive. I was happy to see that. Of course, poachers somewhat dissatisfied with this, I gladly accepted
are still out there, and for this reason, the Kingdom their cooperation, since the king had not decreed
of Ramleers has organized a group of Forest that only citizens of Ohfun were allowed to travel.
Guardians and dispatched them to this area. Their Withal it would prove that my journey was not in the
mission is both vital and arduous. national interest of Ohfun.
Judith was almost the same age as I was, so we
quickly became friends. Judith used to be a member
of the Forest Guardians, and she told me many
stories of the hardships she had faced. Judith told
me that there are many female knights among the
Forest Guardians, and some of them become
Unicorn riders like her.
We arrived at a village of nature worshippers in the
Unicorn Woods. As is customary among nature
worshippers, Teacher Lauras preferred not to meet
strangers, but since Kenny was accompanying us, he
agreed to a special meeting with us.
The teacher’s teaching on nature worship was that
Humans, like animals, should live amid nature,
communing with spirits. The doctrine of “Be
Natural”, which lies at the heart of Marfa’s teachings,
is that we should live in our “natural” state as Human
beings, but druids take it to the next level, one-
sidedly denying Human culture and civilization as
well. The teacher passionately said that nature was to
be benefited, not destroyed, and therefore cities built
of stones were unacceptable.
I was not likely to be able to put his teachings into
practice, but I did not have the slightest intention to 2.4. Across the Desert of Empty.
object to his words. People here do not force this Chronicles: the Year 512
teaching on others but simply live in this pristine
forest away from Human habitation in order to It is a great pity that we were not able to explore the
follow it as their own commandment. Instead, they Desert of Empty, but considering the mission of our
show no mercy to intruders who do not abide by journey, I do not think it is a big problem. Because

29
there is no way that any living creatures could inhabit
a land where spiritual forces of any kind are not at
work, not to mention settlements of Humans and
fairies. Even the creatures we call “monsters” would
not be able to exist in this land.
Out of necessity, we decided to head through the
south of the Desert of Empty to the northeastern
plains of Alecrast. We advanced through the
northern foothills of the two mountain ranges
running from the north to the south. There were no
roads in this area, so Lind and Rondamis, both
experienced travelers, led the way, relying solely on
the sun. There are rumors that several primitive
savage tribes live in this area.
The eastern part of the Alecrast continent is
occupied by many large countries, starting with Oran.
Western countries, on the other hand, are mostly
city-states with only one city as their territory. Also,
all countries can be generally classified in this way:
western states are the center of commerce and
industry, while eastern ones specialize in agriculture.
The Northeast of the continent we were about to visit
is surrounded by the Desert of Empty, ocean, and
mountain ranges running north to south, therefore
this region has very little interaction with the rest of
the world. For this reason, it was completely
unknown to me. Since we were entering such an area,
I had hoped to conduct sufficient preliminary
research, but we ended up entering the region
without having done much of it, as no one knew
aught about the outlying areas separated by the
Desert of Empty.
The only information I had in advance was that there
were two relatively large kingdoms and one small
city-state in the Northeast of Alecrast and that they
were currently in a state of war. No other region on
the Alecrast continent was engaged in large-scale war
conflicts at that time. I am sure that the political
situation was not stable there either.
Furthermore, there is a region beyond that called the
Far East, where apparently there are countries with
cultures completely different from ours. I have also
heard that there is an island with mysterious culture
and nature called Eastend Island. We must not
forget that cultures differ from country to country as
well, and even things like customs and social
etiquette can be different.
According to Aristea, the priestess of the god of war,
even religious communities that believe in the same
god can have subtle differences in their teachings
depending on the region. In more extreme cases, the
gods people believe in may be the same but called
by different names in different regions. For example,
in Chaosland, Mylee is believed to be a female deity
and is referred to as Kulav the Queen of Valkyries.
Since no one knows the exact truth about the gods,
there is no surprise that different beliefs may take
different forms. Of course, it is not just about culture.
The same animals and plants do not live throughout
the whole Alecrast continent. Some creatures are
found only in a few regions, while others dwell in
different areas but vary slightly in size, color, and
shape depending on the region. As this is the case
even on the Alecrast continent, it would not be
surprising to find creatures of all kinds living in
places such as Farland or Eastend Island. I have
recently begun to think that if I have the chance, I
would like to visit these islands someday.
2.5. Desert of Empty. Chronicles: the
Year 520
In the end, we did not visit the Desert of Empty, so
I consulted the literature and talked to scholars
about it, and I would like to add what I have learned
from my research.
The Desert of Empty is located in the northernmost
area of the central part of the Alecrast continent, to
the east of the Magical Kingdom of Ramleers.
Although it is called a desert, it is actually a rock
desert, with rocky mountains and huge rocks
scattered everywhere, and the earth is not sandy, but
rather dry soil and pebbles.
The reason this desert is so feared is not because of
its size or its harsh natural conditions, but because of
the fact that spiritual forces do not work here at all.
In the world of Forcelia, it is believed that spiritual
forces are present in all manifestations of life,
including the movement of matter and the
functioning of the mind and soul. In every place,
although invisible to the eye, spiritual forces should
always be at work. However, only in this desert,
spiritual forces are completely absent. Needless to
say, spirits do not respond to the summons of spirit
users here.
30

But if spiritual forces do not work, it is not only spirit
users who are in trouble. Sans the air spiritual forces,
the wind cannot blow, and sans the earth spiritual
forces, the earth cannot become rich. Without the
water spiritual forces, springs and oases do not
appear, making it impossible to obtain drinking
water.
31
Originally, it is said that deserts are terrains that form
in areas where water and earth spiritual forces are
weak. The point is that they are not completely
devoid of these forces. For example, the formation
of oases in deserts is a manifestation of the water
spiritual forces. Yet the Desert of Empty is the only
place that is completely different from all ordinary
deserts. The air and fire spiritual forces do not exist
there, let alone the spiritual forces of water and earth.
No living creature could possibly live in such a place.
Even insects and plants cannot survive on this land,
not to mention people. That is why it was given such
a sinister name, the Desert of Empty.
The landscape of the Desert of Empty gradually
slopes down toward the center. Suffice to say that it
resembles a bowl. This is why the central part of the
desert is called The Hole.
It is not known in detail how such a cursed place
came into being. However, literature and folklore tell
us that there were cities, and that civilization
flourished here until the middle ages of the Ancient
Kingdom. Some say that it was probably created for
some reason (presumably a release of enormous
magic power) during a period of turmoil around the
time of the fall of the Ancient Kingdom. The answer
to the mystery must lie within the Desert of Empty,
but since no one is crazy enough to venture into the
center of the desert, the truth remains in the dark.
Be that as it may, several scholars have visited the
outer perimeter of the desert, which was just enough
to travel there and back in a few days, to investigate
the nature of the area. Hence, the facts such as the
bowl-shaped topography and the absence of spiritual
forces are known.
However, no one has ever been to The Hole in the
central part of the desert. Therefore, people say that
many ruins of the Ancient Kingdom still lie
untouched there. This is probably true since there
used to be cities of the Ancient Kingdom in this area.
Even the temptation of such enormous treasures
does not outweigh the evident danger of the Desert
of Empty. There is not even a single story of an
adventurer who betook themself to this desert in
search of ancient treasures.
The 520th Year of the New Kingdom
Calendar (The Northern Central Plains)
The Kingdom of Ohfun has not experienced any
major changes domestically. However, the
relationship with the Kingdom of Fandria has
become even tenser, with knights from both
countries gathering near the border, and even
skirmishes breaking out. Although war appears
unlikely to happen anytime soon, King Rijal seems
willing to settle the relationship with the dangerous
neighbor while he is still alive and well.
It is possible that in the near future, a large-scale war
may break out across the whole Central Plains.
In the Kingdom of Ramleers, King Illuarna passed
away due to illness, and the crown prince, Prince
Flarehorn, has become the new king. There seems
to have been a royal succession dispute over his
accession to the throne, so the domestic politics is
currently a bit unsettled. The new king Flarehorn
intends to continue friendly relationships with the
Kingdom of Ohfun, while on the other hand, he
seems somewhat concerned about the growing
power of the Dark God in the Kingdom of Fandria.
32
33
1. The Three Empires of the Northeast
1.1. Lodorille. Chronicles: the Year 512 However, I could not help but think that there was a
shadow of evil lurking behind the queen’s charm. I
The Kingdom of Lodorille covers the area from east suspect that she may be a worshipper of an evil god.
of the Desert of Empty, and north of the Finbull People whisper that her beauty has not diminished a
Mountains to the plains of the Clang River valley. bit in the ten years since her accession to the throne.
Once a poor country with a meager agricultural In fact, she has become even more bewitching than
industry, the kingdom suddenly underwent a drastic before, as if rejuvenated.
transformation after the accession to the throne of
Queen June IV, also called the “Iron Queen”, which The queen is already over 40 years old, and it is
happened ten years ago. Advocating territorial unbelievable that she still looks like she is in her mid-
expansion, the queen conscripted peasants and built twenties. Although all magic is forbidden in this
a powerful army. Then she invaded neighboring country by the queen’s decree, her beauty most
small countries one after another. By conquering likely relies on magical means.
these countries, she turned Lodorille into the great What is most frightening is that the Iron Queen
power it is today. eventually gains the support of the people in the
Supported by the fanatical worship of Queen June, kingdoms she conquers. Is this also due to the
the Kingdom of Lodorille is still involved in wars of queen’s magic or her own alluring charm?
aggression in the year 512 of the New Kingdom In any case, June the Iron Queen is behaving as if
Calendar. It seems that Queen June’s goal is to she was the one and only goddess.
eventually bring the entire Alecrast under her
control, waging what she calls a “holy war”.
Chase is a large city with a population of about
50,000, which is comparable in size to the capitals of
large countries such as Ohfun or Ramleers.
Thousands of soldiers are stationed in the city,
always striding through the streets in full armor.
Queen June believes that she and her people are the
race chosen by the gods, so she sees the people of
other countries only as slaves. And she seems to have
rather a baffling aversion to magic.
In such a kingdom, there was no hope for a friendly
encounter. Without knowing even this information,
we headed for the town of Lodorille only to recover
our tired bodies from the long journey. But even that
was not possible.
We were spotted at the border by the Lodorille
garrison, who suddenly challenged us to a fight. We
had no choice but to defend ourselves. In this battle,
one of the Rondamis’s soldiers died.
It is impossible to imagine that Lodorille could have
gone down this path of a military state except for the
madness of June the Iron Queen. We succeeded in
sneaking into the territory of Lodorille for a short
time. I had the opportunity to observe Queen June
in detail with the spell of distant vision. The queen
was of extraordinary beauty and had an air of
mystery about her. It was no wonder that the people
of the country were so fascinated with her.

34
1.2. Baikal. Chronicles: the Year 512
Baikal is the northernmost kingdom of Alecrast, and
although it has a king, the country is held together by
tribal leaders who build small villages and towns.
The king is the symbol of the confederation of these
tribes. In the plains of the Sadrill River valley, there
are several settlements of tribes known as the Plains
People, who practice agriculture, while the coast of
Azul Bay to the north, across the mountains, is
dotted with tribes of the Sea People.
The Sea People roam the seas of Alecrast in
medium-sized galleys, trading and sometimes
pirating. The kingdom is not what one would call
peaceful, although thou art completely free to travel
in and out of the country. The Sea People are after
not only gold, silver, and other treasures, but withal
women from foreign lands. The boys born to these
women become slaves to row their galleys.
The establishment of the kingdom itself was
relatively early, and the royal family is a longstanding
dynasty that has been in existence in the city of Boris
since ancient times, but it is now becoming a nominal
entity as it can no longer resist the power of the
various tribes that profit from piracy. Currently, it
seems that the head of the largest tribe in this region,
Geers the Pirate King, based in the port city of Arma,
is the central figure in the defense of the kingdom
against Lodorille and other foreign enemies.
Sea travel is not very prevalent on the Alecrast
continent. However, cities adjacent to the coast
utilize ships to a certain extent for commercial and
military purposes. The most common type of ship
used today is not a sailing ship but a galley. Galleys
have several huge oars protruding from both sides,
and several people row each oar, moving the oars in
response to the overseer’s signal. Most such ships are
equipped with a single square sail, which is unfurled
during a tailwind.
The other type of vessel that has recently been
invented and is now in use is a sailing ship. This type
of ship has several masts on a deck, on which sails
are stretched using cloth and ropes to catch the wind
and generate thrust. Sailing ships are found only in
the highly civilized countries in the southern part of
the Alecrast continent.
The pirate ships of the Baikal Kingdom (or “free
merchant ships” as they call them) are galleys, but
they are built to be extremely sturdy, with an
underwater iron angle at the bow, which is used to
hit the side of an opponent's ship, so that the fighters
35
can get on board, massacre the crew members, and
take their treasure.
Although Baikal men are ill-tempered and
belligerent, they are very close-knit within their tribe
and, like Dwarves, do not violate social regulations.
In Lodorille, we had to conduct our research in
secret. But here in Baikal, we were able to do so with
relative freedom. This was because I had succeeded
in making a deal with the leader of one of the tribes
of the Sea People. For this, I had to offer up some
precious magical artifacts, but it proved to be a
profitable bargain for me. We had the privilege to
take a trip onboard their free merchant ship around
the northern seas to study the ecology of the sea
creatures.
1.3. Plysis. Chronicles: the Year 512
Plysis, the largest fortress city in Alecrast, is a city-
state in its own right. Unlike the other two countries,
Plysis has a long history and a well-developed culture
and was friendly to us from the beginning. Plysis is
located on the northern edge of the Eston
Mountains. To the east, lies the Goblin Woods, and
to the southeast, Lake Mead.
The country has a well-developed commerce sector.
Artisanal guilds are thriving, trading their products
with neighboring towns and villages. The whole
country’s economy relies on this trade.
I was able to meet with the king and obtain
permission to access materials on the history and
culture of the region. The city is a restored city of the
Ancient Kingdom, so there are many documents
related to the Kingdom of Kastool, and I had a
chance to look through some interesting books.
The country is currently at war with Lodorille.
During our stay, Lodorille’s army attacked this
fortress city thrice. However, the double moats and
thick stone walls remained undaunted by the siege
weapons of the Lodorille, proving their solidity. On
the contrary, the large weapons of the Plysis side,
mounted on top of the city walls, were more effective
in inflicting damage on the enemy.
Large weapons, such as those used in castle sieges,
are quite well developed in this region, and both
armies seem to be armed with various types of siege
weapons. The first is a catapult, which is made of
huge timbers tied together with ropes and uses the
elasticity of the timbers to throw stones. A catapult
has a threatening accuracy rate. It is said that the
point of impact never deviates more than two meters
from the target spot. Catapults have wheels under effect. Many superstitions still remain on the Alecrast
their base so they can be moved around. continent, and this custom is the best example.
Although it is not a weapon to be used against
Humans, it can be an effective method of attack
against an enemy advancing in dense groups.
However, its main purpose is to crush the
opponent’s siege weapons and fortifications.
Wooden siege weapons are easily broken when hit
by huge stones. However, upon closer inspection, it
seemed that broken siege weapons were being
repaired again and pushed back to the front lines of
the battlefield. Not only stones but also lumber and
horse corpses soaked in oil and ignited could be shot.
In contrast to the high precision of weapons, the way
of fighting was extremely barbaric.
I also saw huge fixed crossbows, battering rams, and
siege towers used to climb over ramparts. The way
of warfare was completely different from that of the
countries in the Central Plains region, known for
their traditional cavalry battles on the plains. It taught
me that even war has a local color.
Plysis has a scholar, Lukial, who is highly renowned
as a military strategist, and it is safe to say that the
state is protected from the great army of Lodorille
thanks to his ingenious military tactics. As a scholar, 1.4. Ancient Ruined City. Chronicles: the
he is versed in many fields of knowledge, so I was Year 513
able to benefit from some of his teachings. But he is
a man who only takes pleasure in applying his The most famous ruins of the Ancient Kingdom
knowledge to battle, directing his soldiers as if he was probably have to be the ruins of the aerial city of Rex,
playing a game. known as “Fallen City” but “Ancient Ruined City” is
just as famous. I had only known the name of this
I do not share his point of view. Originally, scholars place; Rondamis had heard of it when he was an
reject the very idea of war itself. This is also the adventurer.
teaching of Rada, the god of knowledge, that there is
naught to be gained from the destruction that war Although many adventurers go unto the ruins of the
brings. “Fallen City” we have never heard of any adventurers
who have ventured unto “Ancient Ruined City”. I
I also heard that there is a custom in this country to had always wondered wherefore no adventurers
give people “true names”, which was a novelty to me. betook themselves there, even though it was a well-
When a child reaches the age of adulthood, in known ruin, but my own visit unto this place
addition to their previous name, they are given a true painfully taught me the reason for it.
name by their godparents. A person never reveals
this true name to others. They believe that sharing it According to the literature I researched in Plysis,
with others is the same as entrusting thy life to them. even though Ancient Ruined City is called ruins, it is
one of the few historical sites that still look the same
However, in very close relationships, such as betwixt as they did during the time of The Ancient Kingdom.
a parent and child, a husband and a wife, or close It is a stark contrast to the ruins of Rex, the city that
friends, people confide their true names to each fell from the sky and completely collapsed.
other as a sign of their trust. In addition, the king is
required by custom to announce his true name, for Minstrel Lind presumed that the place had already
the king must be the closest person to all his people. been so thoroughly ransacked that no one was
As long as the king has not been cursed to death,
revealing the true name seems to have no actual

36
interested in it any longer. That was certainly a
plausible explanation. But I could not help feeling
that there was a bigger reason. Indeed, the rumors
we picked up on the way unto the ruins were all
ominous. Apparently, locals believed that Ancient
Ruined City was a forbidden area, a place where
death and misfortune awaited.
When we finally arrived at the city and I saw it with
my own eyes, I was so amazed at how peaceful it was,
that I could hardly believe such rumors. The
beautiful townscape of the Ancient Kingdom lay
before our eyes, intact in its former glory. Buildings
with intricate geometrical structures were the
crystalization of the Dwarven art of architecture and
the power of magic, which could never be
reproduced with today’s technology.
I entered buildings throughout the city and marveled
at the artworks and treasures that were still there. If
someone had visited this city, they very well could
have acquired immense fortune. Lind did not seem
bothered by the fact that his hypothesis was wrong,
and began to compose a song extolling the beauty of
the city.
Since we had not fully explored the ruins, we
decided to stay the night in the city.
But by this time we had been caught in a terrible trap.
We were already surrounded by several wraiths and about, unaware of their own death. Ancient Ruined
ghosts when Kenny, the spirit user, shouted out a City is, as the locals say, a forbidden place. I warn
word of warning. Knowing that our weapons would you that no living being should ever visit this place.
be of little use against them, I ordered everyone to
flee. The 520th Year of the New Kingdom
Calendar (the Northeast Region)
None of us would have survived if Aristea the
“Changeling” had not protected us from these The war in the Northeast Region continues to this
immortal monsters with the power of Mylee’s divine day. However, signs of major changes in the war
magic. Even so, one of the mercenaries who failed to began to emerge. Lukial, a military strategist of the
escape was caught by several wraiths and collapsed, Kingdom of Plysis, was invited to the Kingdom of
leaving behind a horrible dying scream. We had no Lomar in the Southern Central Plains, and he, of all
way to rescue the poor mercenary, or rather, we were people, accepted the invitation. This made the fight
saved by his sacrifice and managed to escape. of Plysis against the Kingdom of Lodorille a bitter
one. Although the impregnable fortress city has not
But that was not the end of the tragedy. As our group
yet been defeated, being forced into a defensive
mourned his death, we began to hear the sobbing
position, Plysis’s economy and will to fight are
voice of a Banshee, the spirit of sorrow, and three
gradually declining. At the same time, some tribes in
more of our companions lost their lives at the sound
the Kingdom of Baikal began to cooperate with the
of her deadly voice. One of them was our minstrel,
Kingdom of Lodorille, and there are signs that this
Lind. His kind heart turned against him and he was
may escalate into a civil war.
caught in the Banshee’s clutches.
If the situation continues, the region may end up
Later I learned from a scholar that Ancient Ruined
being united under the Kingdom of Lodorille. Since
City was destroyed almost in an instant and that
Queen June’s ambitions are insatiable, the Far East
ghosts and spirits of sorrow, Banshees, still roam

37
region may become the new battleground. To
preserve the life of his kingdom, the King of Plysis
has requested reinforcements from the various
countries of the Far East region. The fate of the
Northeast region depends on whether or not any of
the countries will respond to this request.
Alecrast Natural History. Mermaid
Mermaids and Mermen, who have left their names
in many legends as a tribe of sea fairies, are rarely
seen today. Mermaids are friendly with Humans,
thus legends about the two races struggling with love
that transcends race barriers are not entirely
unfounded. However, Mermaids no longer appear
before them. If they were to encounter Humans,
they would either flee forthwith or attack.
The reason why the relationship betwixt the two
races has deteriorated is, of course, humankind.
More than two hundred years ago, rumors spread
that the flesh of Mermaids could be used as a
medicine for perpetual youth and longevity,
therefore, they were hunted down by heartless
Humans. Of course, the rumors were not true. Since
then, Mermen have feared and hated Humans and
only live at the bottom of deep seas or in coastal
areas far from Human habitation. As a result, the
social system and customs of Mermaids are largely
unknown.
Although their upper bodies are Human in
appearance, their lower bodies completely resemble
fish. Conventionally, male Mermaids are called
Mermen. Mermaids, being water fairies, use spells
based on the spiritual forces of water. They are not
aggressive and do not attack recklessly.
We happened to see a few Mermaids in the coastal
waters of the Kingdom of Baikal. However, when the
Mermaids saw us, they immediately dived into the
sea and ran away.
The race that was once friendly unto Humans now
harbors hatred and fear. It is nothing short of a total
disappointment that this is the result of the folly of
men, who have been manipulated by baseless
rumors.
38
39
1. Mudeel, the “Farthest Kingdom”
1.1. Mudeel. Chronicles: the Year 513
The Kingdom of Mudeel is known as the “Farthest
kingdom”. Many people in countries to the west do
not even know the name of this country, not to
mention its lifestyle and culture, which are almost
completely unknown to them. This is not only
because Mudeel is far away, but also because the
people of the kingdom tend not to talk much about
themselves.
In Plysis, I gathered information about the Far East
region, then we took the southern road from Baikal
and crossed the gently sloping mountainous area to
enter this country.
Mudeel has a royal capital of the same name that
rules neighboring towns and villages, forming a
kingdom. The current king’s name is Tin. He is the
twenty-first king of this long-standing kingdom. The
country is different from other regions in terms of
racial identity, with its people having brown skin and
black or near-black hair.
The country is located in plains betwixt the Maslaum
Mountains and the Mahatoya Mountains and is
bordered by the Goblin Woods to the southwest.
The main industry is agriculture, centering on wheat
cultivation, but the country also has a thriving textile
industry, producing high-quality silk and cotton
yarns. In the capital, some merchants trade using
galleys for transporting their goods. From what I
have heard, they travel all over the Alecrast. First,
they load up fabrics, which are a specialty of their
country, and sell them at the next port they stop at.
Then they buy up local products there at a lower
price and transport them to the next port. Therefore,
their voyages can be long, lasting even several years.
Such merchants use medium-sized galleys, which are
very fast and also armed with catapults and large
crossbows to counter pirate vessels. This was
considered a reasonable measure, given the
presence of the pirate country of Baikal unto the
north. According to the merchants, their vessels can
outrun Baikal’s pirate ships as long as they keep
them out of the close fight. At the same time, Baikal
pirate ships do not seem to attack the merchant ships
of the neighboring Kingdom of Mudeel very often.
Mudeel has one of the most powerful navies on the
Alecrast continent, and they are probably afraid of
being attacked by its navy.
Because of their powerful armaments, Mudeel
trading ships are known as “armed merchant ships”.
I had heard this name before. In the southern coastal
countries of Alecrast, armed merchant ships are
often seen stopping by and holding markets in the
ports. Not many people knew that they were from
the Far East region, but even we, the people of the
western states, were familiar at least with the exotic
products brought by them.
Armed merchant ships are sometimes hired out on
a ship-by-ship basis and used in wars, but they never
engage in piracy. These merchants are also skilled
sailors, skilled enough to navigate in the sea properly
without seeing land, which makes it possible for
them to trade with islands located far from the
continent
Being the most easterly point in Alecrast, Mudeel is
home to some rare creatures I had never seen before,
and even the familiar ones differ dramatically in
color and shape. For example, tigers here have black
and white stripes on their bodies instead of yellow
and black, and they are somewhat larger than tigers
in other regions.
In the sea to the east of Mudeel, lies Eastend Island.
The island is home to a variety of creatures that
cannot be found on the continent. I was told that the
people who live there have a culture that is
completely different from ours. Apparently, the
island is inhabited by a tribe that believes in a local
sun god, and it is ruled by a woman who holds the
position of a priestess of this god. They rarely engage
in trade, so even the merchants of Mudeel have no
idea how the tribe lives.
1.2. The Goblin Woods. Chronicles: the
Year 513
The research in Mudeel went well, and we were able
to finish it in just two months. So we headed south to
investigate the mysterious ruins of the famous
Statues of Giants and then made our way to the great
country of Oran, renowned as the Kingdom of
Scholars and Adventurers. In Oran lives Great
Scholar Mana Rai, who is the teacher of all of us
magicians. To meet the great sage was my dearest
wish for so many years that the very thought of it was
making my heart tremble as if I was a little girl.
But first, we had an obstacle ahead of us that we
inevitably had to overcome.
40
It was a daunting task to investigate the Goblin
Woods. As the name implies, the Goblin Woods is
home to abominable youma and magical beasts and
is an ominous place where hardly any Human has
ever set foot. However, it is impossible to avoid this
forest if one wants to learn about the lifestyle of the
youma that inhabit Alecrast. If we had avoided this
forest because it was dangerous, we would have no
excuse, no matter how much we might be criticized
for it. Of course, all of my companions were against
it, but for my part, I could not compromise on this
one thing. After a long debate, they finally agreed to
my insistent request and promised to accompany me
on this perilous journey.
I thanked everyone from the bottom of my heart and
prayed for the divine protection of Rada, the god of
knowledge, so that the lives of my companions
would not be lost like in the ruins of Ancient Ruined
City.
And so we left the main road and stepped into this
accursed forest. Although the Goblin Woods was a
forest where youma dwell, it was not that the trees
growing there were any different. Rather, there was
little undergrowth, and the forest even had a sense of
cleanliness. Certainly, we encountered carnivorous
trees several times, but since these are tree magical
beasts that lurk in forests throughout Alecrast, that
alone does not indicate the abhorrent nature of this
place.
In fact, during the first few days in the forest, we did
not encounter a single youma, and we felt as if we
were wandering through the Unicorn Woods.
Perhaps the only thing that seemed to forebode bad
luck was that there were hardly any birds chirping or
small forest animals to be seen. And then, on a night
about a week after entering the Goblin Woods, that
ominous omen became a reality.
As we finished preparing for the night and began to
eat our modest meal, we sensed the presence of
something creeping around us. Knight Rondamis
immediately picked up his sword. I nervously
checked the sorcerer’s ring on my right ring finger.
By the time I cast an ancient magic spell to send up
a magical light to see who it was, it was already too
late. We were completely surrounded by ugly youma,
the masters of this forest.
At the same time as Aristea’s “Battle Song” spell
sounded, a fierce battle ensued. Goblins are not
friendly toward Humans, but if one is well-armed,
they will be wary and will not challenge thee to a fight.
41
But this land is their territory. There are Goblin
lords and Goblin spirit users. That is probably why,
no matter how many Goblins we defeated, they did
not flinch and attacked us one after another. With
the support of my ancient magic, Kenny’s spirit
magic, and Aristea’s divine magic, the four warriors
fought the Goblins, each wielding their respective
weapons. Each of the four was a trained warrior, so
they had no trouble keeping up with the Goblins.
However, the number of Goblins was overwhelming.
No matter how much we cut them, their numbers
did not decrease; in fact, they even seemed to be
getting more numerous. Perhaps the Goblins were
living near where we had set up our night camp.
Perhaps backup from neighboring tribes also arrived.
In any case, their group seemed to number in the
hundreds. Reluctantly, I used the “Fireball” spell to
kill the Goblins and make a way to escape; I knew
that if I did not do so, we would all be wiped out due
to exhaustion. I hoped that they would not chase
people who ran away, but it was too naive of me to
think so. Led by their kings and spirit users, the
Goblins were surprisingly brave warriors. They
continued to pursue us, shooting poisoned arrows at
us from behind.
Kenny, the spirit user, protected us by controlling the
wind spirits, so none of their arrows hit any of us, but
the furiousness with which they were pursuing us
made it seem difficult to escape.
At that moment, a city appeared in front of us.
From the outside, it seemed to be nothing more than
ruins. Moss grew on the high city walls, and vines
covered everything, though a half-decayed wooden
gate opened on our way. It was an eerie place.
Normally, I would never set foot in such a ruin. But
we were left with no choice.
The Goblins were still chasing us and we needed
time to regroup. So we slipped through the gates and
fled into the ruins. Rondamis and his soldier Balzac
closed the gate, and I sealed it with a spell, and finally,
we managed to escape the Goblins’ pursuit.
We decided to wait here until morning, so that the
Goblins, who do not like the daylight, would return
to their homes. When we finally had time to relax
and pay attention to our surroundings, we noticed
something unusual. We gasped in surprise at the
scene before us.
There were no ruins anywhere like what we saw from
the outside. The beautiful streets of the Ancient
Kingdom were in perfect condition. The city was
filled with magical lights, and there was no shadow of
devastation to be seen. Towering up against the
darkness of the night, the Dwarven building, whose
outlines emitted a bluish-white radiance, stood
exquisite and graceful, like a maiden clad in thin silk.
And then, in front of us, too astonished to even
speak, the real maiden appeared out of thin air. The
maiden was dressed in a long, gracefully curved,
transparent white robe, with a draped mantle thrown
over her right shoulder.
The cloak split open to reveal a delicate hand
outstretched in a gesture of welcome. She gave us an
old-fashioned ceremonial greeting and addressed us
in a smooth lower ancient language, “Welcome to
my city”. Then she revealed her name. Mara Ajanis,
one of the Founders...
1.3. Mara Ajanis’s Capital. Chronicles:
the Year 513
Mara Ajanis was a woman of some legends who
appeared in the history books on the Ancient
Kingdom and in the poems written in the lower
ancient language. The story of her and the City of
Illusion she built is so well known that the poems
have been translated into the common language and
are still sung by minstrels.
Rumors of the legendary Mara Ajanis and her capital
in the Goblin Woods had been spreading for some
time, but I had never imagined that I would actually
see her city with my own eyes and that it would exist
not in ruins, but its pristine state as it used to be.
Well, not exactly as it used to be. Because there was
not a single dweller in the city. Mara Ajanis revealed
to us the reason why. She told us about the terrible
events that had befallen the city and beseeched us to
solve this ancient problem.
After the fall of the Ancient Kingdom, the capital of
Mara Ajanis lost contact with the outside world and
new citizens stopped coming to the city. However,
the city was protected from attacks of savage tribes
and youma and flourished for a while as the last earth
paradise of the Ancient Kingdom.
Yet, even in this once peaceful city, fearsome
monsters began to invade. Those monsters were
immaterial, ghost-like creatures. The monsters killed
the city’s inhabitants one after another and eventually
destroyed all the citizens of this kingdom. The queen
tried everything to find out the cause, but she could
not even find a clue.
She hoped to invite the inhabitants of the new
kingdoms to this city and asked for our help in
exterminating the monsters lurking around. We
accepted her offer and explored every nook and
cranny of the city to investigate the cause of its
downfall. However, the monsters that had killed all
its residents were nowhere to be found.
It was only after half a day had passed since the
investigation began that we discovered the cause of
the problem. Mara Ajanis, who had been working
with us until then, suddenly disappeared, and
instead, a scary-looking ghost of the dead appeared
and attacked us.
The ghost struck us with incredibly powerful ancient
magic. If the ghost of the dead had not fled with the
“Soul Repose” spell that Aristea had put all her
energy into, we would have been annihilated. At the
same time, I thought I understood the true reason
for the tragedy that had befallen this city in ancient
times.
To confirm my guess, we betook ourselves to the
tower where Mara Ajanis reposed. Like in Ancient
Ruined City, we climbed the queen’s tower under
the attacks of ghosts of the dead and spirits that went
mad. Had it not been for our experience in that city
of death, we might not have achieved our goal.
With great difficulty, we reached the Queen’s
Chamber at the top of the tower. Indeed, my guess
was correct.
Mara Ajanis, in eternal slumber in her tower, had
been maintaining the city through the magic of
powerful illusions. But whether by magical failure,
accident, or time, her flesh had been destroyed.
There was not the slightest trace of her beauty, but a
dried-up Human corpse lying in a glass coffin, clad
in a pure white robe. The magic of her illusion had
deceived even the awareness of her own death. Her
dead consciousness had already transformed into a
ghost, but she still dreamed of protecting her City of
Illusion.
The spirit could not function normally when the
body was decaying, and contrary to the queen’s
wishes, she had destroyed the people of the city by
her own hand. By lending the queen my own senses,
I made her aware of the fact that her body had died.
She was released from her eternal dream, and the
beautiful city returned to its original ruins.
42
 and declared that every man had the right to live in a
city, that she created, a city that was open to all, a city
that did not require to have the least bit of property.
It was called Mara Ajanis’s Capital.
It was built on top of a small abandoned city. She
built a small tower in the center of the city, where she
created a chamber to live in and performed powerful
and carefully calculated magical rituals. And in this
room, she fell asleep.
What she created was the City of Illusion. She made
all the buildings, clothes, and even food through the
magic of illusion. Her slumber was to last forever, for
the magic of the illusion was to be perpetual.
The magic of her illusion would have fed all the city’s
inhabitants as if it was a real thing. The city
functioned peacefully for nearly 30 years. However,
the city shaped by her dream, along with the Ancient
Kingdom that had fallen before it, was on the road
toward demise.
The reason why Mara Ajanis’s Capital collapsed is
not known. Some say it was because of nightmares
that invaded the mind of Mara Ajanis, others say it
Folklore ⦿ The Queen of the City of
was because her illusionary magic failed. It is not
Illusion known for sure. Eventually, the city’s vital functions
deteriorated, and monsters attacked it, thereby
There are many sorcerers mentioned in the legends
of the Ancient Kingdom, but perhaps none as great
and compassionate as Mara Ajanis, a sorceress of
illusion. Her legend has been passed down by
minstrels as an epic poem that teaches us the
greatness and sadness of magic and the transience of
Human affection.
The story goes as follows.
The creation of the aerial city of Rex in the late years
of the Ancient Kingdom triggered a trend among the
great magicians of that time to build cities filled with
their own unique innovations to demonstrate their
ability. They wanted to prove the greatness of their
magic powers and to show off their authority withal.
This trend eventually led to the notion that such
cities were sacred, and that those who lived inside
them had to meet certain requirements to do so.
Thus, the poor citizens were evicted from the cities
and forced to live a nomadic life roaming in the
wilderness.
This social situation was the cause of the indignation
of Mara Ajanis, a sorceress of illusion who lived in
the eastern part of the Alecrast continent. She took
pity on those who had been driven out of their abode

43
leading to the complete destruction of the capital
following the downfall of the Ancient Kingdom.
But I can tell you this. Her city amid the Goblin
Woods has kept its beautiful appearance just until
recently. The sorceress of Ohfun Laverna made a
moving report about it to King Rijal.
“The greatness of Mara Ajanis lay in her willingness
to sacrifice herself to save her people. She created
2. Milargo, the “Kingdom of Meadows”
2.1 Milargo. Chronicles: the Year 514
The Goblin Woods was indeed a cursed place.
However, seeing manifold youma and magical beasts
and learning about their habits was a great benefit.
But above all, it was a momentous event for me to
have visited the legendary city and met its queen.
Although it is a sad memory for me, I am glad that I
was able to solve one of the mysteries of the Ancient
Kingdom Period.
Four years have already passed since we started our
journey, and we believe that our exploration of the
most dangerous areas of Alecrast has ended in the
Goblin Woods. Of course, we should not let our
guard down, but at least I know the names of the
countries we will be visiting, and I have heard all
kinds of rumors about them. Moreover, they are not
at war. We can expect to be safer along the way than
we have been so far.
Thus, we set foot in Milargo, our next destination.
This kingdom is located in a famous grassland area,
with a sea of green stretching as far as the eye can see.
However, to the east of the country is a vast
marshland called the “Wetlands of Oblivion” where
no one ever sets foot. Although there are rumors that
a few savage tribes live there, it is also a paradise for
the creatures that call wetlands their home. In
particular, it is believed that there is a large
settlement of Lizardmen, who invade the grasslands
every few decades.
The kingdom of Milargo, which flourishes amid vast
meadows, is a federation of dozens of nomadic tribes,
and important state affairs are decided by tribal
gatherings where the heads of those tribes meet.
Even the king and ministers are chosen at these
meetings, which was surprising for me. Recently,
however, it seems that heads of the Jarba tribe, the
most powerful tribe in Milargo, have been passing
the throne to their heirs. The current king is also a
Jarba leader, Kuna, who rules in the city of Glard,
her own city, and in order to keep it alive forever,
she put herself into eternal slumber and gave up all
her earthly life. Let us not forget that she fell asleep
when she was only eighteen years old, the age at
which she should have most enjoyed the pleasures of
life.”
the capital of the kingdom and a bustling market for
nomads.
Mostly, royal power is limited, with foreign policy
being its primary role. Internal affairs of the country
are determined and handled according to the laws
and moral precepts of each tribe. Disputes betwixt
tribes are settled not by the king’s ruling, but by war.
Therefore, I heard that fights betwixt tribes occur
quite frequently. At such times, the king takes a
neutral position. Of course, it is not uncommon for
a tribal leader in the position of the king to fight with
the head of another tribe, which makes one wonder
how the country can remain united.
However, the tribal battles are surprisingly mild,
fought only by a small number of selected mounted
warriors. In these battles, projectile weapons are
never used, and in addition, there is a rule that
anyone who falls from their steed is considered dead
and is not allowed to mount again and fight or attack
without riding a horse. Of course, the winner forces
the other side to accept their conditions for which
the battle has been fought. This shows a sense of
comradeship that exists among people living on the
same grasslands. Of course, when fighting other
nations, they pledge to stand together against a
common enemy. Of course, the aforementioned
rule is not followed withal.
Within the territory of this kingdom lives the largest
tribe of Centaurs in Alecrast. And they are
respectable Milargo people, too. The current head
of the Centaur tribe, Pada the Golden Tail, is a
sorcerer with knowledge of ancient magic and is also
one of the ministers of Milargo.
I was intrigued by this story and really wanted to meet
this Centaur. I was curious to converse with him
since a Centaur sorcerer is something one rarely
hears of anywhere else. However, meeting a tribe of
Centaurs, who were not in the habit of settling down,
turned out to be more difficult than we had expected,
44
and we had to roam for several months in this wide
meadow country to find them. However, our
wanderings were not in vain, as we were able to learn
more about the creatures of the kingdom and their
mode of life.
Finally, we came across a tribe of Centaurs and asked
for an audience with the tribal leader, who gladly
accepted our request. Pada had golden hair and a
golden tail, his horse-like body had a pale chestnut
color, and only the tips of his limbs were white as if
he was wearing boots.
After a short discussion, it became clear that I had a
better knowledge of ancient magic than he did, so I
presented the Centaur leader with a copy of my
spellbook in exchange for various documents and
information about the region. Centaurs are
considered to be mythical beasts because of their
half-Human, half-horse appearance, but after living
with them, I have come to believe that they should
rather be classified as nonhumans. I found out that
they live a life not much different from us Human
beings. However, the Centaurs of this tribe may be a
special case of their kind being civilized. When we
met the Centaurs in the Unicorn Woods, they did
not welcome us very much, in fact, we almost got into
a fight with them.
Another influential tribe in the region is a tribe of
grassland fairies, Grassrunners. Even though they are
called a tribe, they do not live together as a whole but
rather are divided into a number of smaller groups.
This land is their homeland, and a lot of
Grassrunners depart from here to travel throughout
the Alecrast. And when they find a partner they like
during their journey, they return unto this land to
give birth and raise their children.
2.2. The Statues of Giants. Chronicles:
the Year 515
To the north of the Kingdom of Anoth, which we
planned to visit next, are the ruins of the Ancient
Kingdom known as the Statues of Giants. As the
45
name implies, they are gigantic Human-shaped
statues, buried in the ground below the waist, but still
four times taller than us.
The material looks like ordinary stone, but its
surface is so smooth and polished that there is not a
scratch on it. There is a pentagonal indentation on
the chests of statues, but I have no idea what purpose
it could have served. As an experiment, Rondamis
struck it with his mace, but the stone did not even
chip. Maybe if I had put some magic on the weapon
it might have worked, but I did not feel like trying
that.
The statues have been investigated by many scholars
since ancient times, yet no one knows more about
them. When were they created? Who made them?
What was it for? All of these are mysteries. Even in
the literature of the Ancient Kingdom, there is no
mention of these statues.
I verified that the entire structure was enchanted by
casting the “Magic Detection” spell, but beyond that,
I could not tell either.
Some people believe that these statues are the bodies
of lost gods. Some people in the region revere the
statues as sacred and visit them to pay their respects.
I cannot deny it as long as I do not know aught about
it, but still, I cannot believe it. There is another
theory that the statues are gigantic golems. This one
is more convincing.
As I looked at the Statues of Giants, I was seized with
a strange fantasy that one day in the distant future
these stone statues might come alive. It felt as if I had
foreseen the future, and this vision stuck strangely in
my mind and never left.
I also heard that there was a settlement of a savage
tribe near the statues. I spent some time searching
for them, hoping to find out if they had any legends
about the Statues of Giants, but in the end, I never
found their settlement.
3. Anoth, the “Holy Kingdom”
3.1. Anoth. Chronicles: the Year 515
While the Meadow Kingdom of Milargo was the
very picture of freedom, the next kingdom we visited,
Anoth, turned out to be its complete opposite, ruled
by strict discipline.
In this country, there is a temple of the supreme god
Pharis, which is said to be the largest in Alecrast.
Refald IV, also referred to as the Pope, is not only
the king of Anoth but also the supreme priest who
holds the authority to appoint other priests. And the
throne is not hereditary but is passed down over
generations to the supreme priest of Pharis.
Most of the people are devout believers of Pharis,
and they lead a strict life never contradicting his
teachings. Of course, there are followers of other
gods living there, but they are very few and seem to
be rather ashamed of it.
The Supreme God teaches absolute justice and
wants to spread it throughout the world, but I
sometimes think that this justice is too rigid and
distorts the truth of things. Withal, I do not agree
with scholars who believe that good and evil are
relative, although I think that the line betwixt right
and wrong shifts a bit depending on the time and
circumstances and it is all right.
The country’s order of knighthood is called the
Knights of the Righteous Light and is known
throughout the Alecrast for its discipline and
willingness to fight to the death. It is considered one
of the most powerful knightly orders along with the
ones of Ohfun and Ramleers. Some of the knights
leave the order and travel to other countries for
training so that they can spread righteousness. These
knights are called crusaders. Their area of activity is
said to cover the entire Alecrast continent.
A large number of the crusaders hold the rank of
priests that use the sacred magic of the Supreme God
and are first-class warriors at the same time. They
never let evil acts go unchecked and punish them.
Withal, they are travelers and adventurers, but their
goal is not ancient treasures: it is only justice.
The 520th Year of the New Kingdom
Calendar (The Far East Region)
The countries of the Far East region, which had
considered themselves unconnected to the war in the
Northeast region, suddenly began to view the issue
as a serious problem as the dominance of the
Kingdom of Lodorille has spread in recent years.
This was triggered by an official letter from the
fortress city of Plysis. The letter stated that the goal
of Queen June of the Lodorille Kingdom was the
unification of the Alecrast continent. It warned that
after conquering the Northeast region, she would
surely extend her conquests to the Far East.
The first to make a move after receiving the letter
was the Holy Kingdom of Anoth. Anoth dispatched
a number of crusaders to the Northeast region to
ascertain whether Queen June was that nefarious or
not. Depending on their reports, the kingdom may
join the war.
What Mudeel, Milargo, and others will do remains
a mystery. On the other hand, they might attack
short-handed Anoth. In addition, rumors are
spreading that the Lizardmen living in the eastern
wetlands, with a full-grown Water Dragon as an ally,
will invade the kingdom of Milargo, and some even
claim to have seen the Dragon. If these rumors prove
to be true, the Kingdom of Meadows will engage in
an unprecedentedly fierce conflict with the peoples
of the marshlands.
Heroic Tales ⦿ Holy King Farz
The heroic tale of Founder King Farz is a source of
pride for Anoth’s crusaders and a spiritual center for
paladins who are willing to risk their own lives in
defense of justice.
No one can say where Farz was born. Since he could
remember, he had been working for a peddler and
had become accustomed to the traveling lifestyle. He
was trained in swordsmanship by a warrior who was
escorting the peddler, and by the time he was sixteen
years old, he had already learned all the techniques
that his teacher taught him.
When he reached adulthood, his sword skills
inspired him to become a knight, taking him to the
royal capital of the largest kingdom in the region at
the time, Hurm. Back then, Hurm was said to be
inimitable in terms of its military power and cultural
standards. However, what Farz saw in this kingdom
were the aristocrats who had reached the height of
their prosperity and were drowning in their own
decadence.
They demanded enormous gifts from their
neighboring countries, and if those refused, they sent
46
armies to execute every one of royal blood, capture
knights, and turn them into gladiator slaves for
entertainment. Farz joined Hurm’s army as a
mercenary. His success was remarkable, and the
amount paid for his swordsmanship was growing
rapidly. However, as his earnings were increasing, he
began to question his way of life. The prosperity of
the Hurm’s nobles combined with the sorrows
endured by the gladiatorial slaves. And the words of
curses uttered by those who are invaded and killed...
It is said that the fact that he began to suffer from
these thoughts was the guidance and revelation of the
Supreme God. But the one thing that completely
changed his mind was killing with his own hands a
princess of another country who was a follower of the
Supreme God. With her chest stained red by Farz’s
sword, the princess appealed to him for the
preciousness of true justice and then passed away.
His heart was disturbed and he was unwittingly
deeply wounded. On the verge of death, he was
healed and saved from demise by a priest of the
Supreme God, who was supposed to be his enemy.
Farz realized the mistake he had made and sincerely
regretted it. He heard the voice of the Supreme God
47
himself and embraced with his whole body and soul
the spirit of justice and law conveyed by the great god
of light.
Upon his return to Hurm, following the voice of the
Supreme God, he volunteered to become a gladiator
to defeat evil at its source. He used the power of the
supreme deity to heal his wounded comrades and
gradually gained their trust. They united their hearts
in the name of the Supreme God and stood up for
justice. For the sake of eternal justice, the gladiators
did not even fear losing their own lives. It is said that
many of them realized their own deaths and fell only
when the royal castle of Hurm was set ablaze in the
victory of their rebellion.
Farz proclaimed his kingship in the name of the
Supreme God. Yet, it would take ten years after that
to defeat the Kingdom of Hurm, which was still
powerful even after its king’s death. However, Farz
succeeded in doing so and successfully fulfilled the
justice of the glorious Supreme God. After
accomplishing his great feat, Farz abandoned his
throne and chose the path of a wanderer. For Farz,
it was the beginning of his next journey in the fight
against evil.
48
1. Oran, the “Kingdom of Scholars and Adventurers”
1.1 Oran. Chronicles: the Year 515
After entering the Kingdom of Oran, we decided
first of all to head for the royal capital. The royal
capital of Oran, which bears the same name as the
kingdom, is the largest city in Alecrast. Its population
is 100,000. It is more than twice the population of
Phun, the royal city of Ohfun.
The Kingdom of Oran is a long-standing kingdom
that has already been in existence for more than 200
years. The founder king, Hartley I, was originally the
governor-general of the city and founded Oran out
of the turmoil of the Warring States Period.
Although he was not a warrior himself, he is
legendary for having raised the city’s self-defense
forces into a respectable army, and for using
advanced tactics in warfare. He annexed opposing
nations and created a huge kingdom.
It is clear from the country’s founding history that
Oran has always had a lot of outstanding minds. Of
course, this tradition continues today. The city is
fully equipped with water and sewer systems; the
streets are clean as long as one does not stray into the
backstreets. I almost felt as if I was beholding the life
of the Ancient Kingdom.
Now, this land is ruled by a representative of the
sixteenth generation of the royal family, Cayaltard
VII. As befits the king of Oran, King Cayaltard is a
person with a scholarly bent of mind and is often
called the Sage King. He was taught by Great Scholar
Mana Rai from his early childhood and even now
aside from his governmental duties, he continues his
research activities at the Sorcerers’ Guild as a high
student of Mana Rai.
In particular, the king is said to be enthusiastic about
the development of technologies for practical use,
such as the improvement of the recently invented
sailing ship and the development of more efficient
farming tools aimed at making the country wealthier.
This proves that not only a military man like King
Rijal of Ohfun is a great king, but also a literary man
like the King of Oran can earn this title.
1.2 The Sorcerers’ Guild of Oran
Oran was the first city in Alecrast to establish a
sorcerers’ guild. The Sorcerers’ Guild of Oran
exchanges information with other sorcerers’ guilds
spread throughout the continent. The supreme
49
master of this sorcerer’s guild is its founder, Teacher
Mana Rai, revered by the name of the Great Scholar.
I have been looking forward to meeting him ever
since I first agreed to this journey. This was an easy
task since I had received a letter of introduction to
the Great Scholar from my direct master of magic,
Teacher Karves of Ohfun. In between his busy
schedule of official duties and research, Mana Rai
kindly agreed to meet with me.
Even though I knew it was rude of me, I expressed
my doubts about the theory that the teacher
espoused, and I also shared my own thoughts on the
matter. Such impoliteness was due to my fear that I
would never have such an opportunity again. Sans
anger, Mana Rai explained the basis of his theory
using several examples. Needless to say, some of the
questions I had raised were completely cleared up by
his explanation. Rather than condemning my
attitude, Teacher Mana Rai even praised it. He told
me that nowadays there are more and more students
in the Sorcerers’ Guild who completely believe and
do not even doubt his theories. For him, this is an
unwelcome development. For without questioning,
no discoveries can be made.
1.3. The Ruins of “Fallen City”.
Chronicles: the Year 516
On a plain, about three days northeast of the city of
Oran, lies “Fallen City”, the ruins of Rex, one of the
three major cities of the Ancient Kingdom. Rex was
more than several times the size of Oran, the largest
city in Alecrast, and it would take at least a week just
to go around the city ruins.
Of course, the ruins contain an enormous amount of
treasures from the Ancient Kingdom, and even
today, many adventurers head for them in search of
riches. However, the area is said to be a demonic
land where fearsome monsters lurk, making it a
dangerous place for even the most seasoned
adventurers.
In particular, given that Fallen City was created by
powerful magic, it is said to be filled with numerous
monsters that have mutated under the influence of
magic powers. Even Dragons, the strongest of the
ancient races, are said to inhabit the city and are
often spotted flying over the ruins.
The nature of my trip made it my mission, so to
speak, to visit these ruins, which had such a unique
ecosystem. So I asked Teacher Mana Rai how I
could get information about Fallen City.
When I explained the situation to him, he
recognized its significance and took the trouble to
introduce me to one of his direct students, the
master of magic named Balen, an expert on the ruins
of Fallen City. This man, Balen, is a member of a
prominent group of adventurers known by the name
of the “Finders”. He and his companions have
traveled to many dangerous ruins and brought back
precious magical artifacts and ancient books, along
with treasures from the Ancient Kingdom.
They are the most successful adventurers in the
world, and their name is apparently well known
among their fellow adventurers. Rondamis, our
knight who used to be an adventurer, also knew the
name of the “Finders”. However, each of them now
holds an important position in the city of Oran, and
these days they do not venture out on adventures
much anymore.
All of the “Finders” agreed to serve as our guides at
the request of Master Balen. It was an honor, and we
could not have asked for more reassuring help.
I decided to head for the ruins, accompanied only
by Rondamis, Aristea, the priestess of the god of war,
and Kenny, the spirit user. I followed the advice of
Master Balen who said that it would not be a good
idea to go with too many people.
Near the ruins of Fallen City lies Pada, known as the
“City of Adventurers”. This city is a base for
adventurers who come to Fallen City aiming to get
rich quickly. There are several adventurers’ stores in
the town, and men and women dressed like
adventurers can be seen here and there.
We settled at an adventurer’s store, left our large
luggage there, and set out for the ruins. The ruins
were surrounded by huge boulders that had
apparently been scattered by the impact of the fall,
and here and there were remnants of the ring of
stones that had magically supported the aerial city.
Above the ring of stones, a number of pebbles were
floating in the air. Even now it keeps fulfilling the
mission given unto it in the days of the Ancient
Kingdom. It was a sad sight to behold.
Finally, we stepped into the ruins. I had heard that
the destruction of the buildings was relatively mild
because the part that formed the foundation of the
city served as buffer material, but even so, the
devastation was extraordinary. Stone buildings had
collapsed, and stones of all sizes were scattered about.
The impact of the fall alone must have been enough
to kill people. Human bones were lying all over the
ruins. I was sickened by this sight.
The nobles of the Ancient Kingdom who could cast
spells of “Teleportation” and “Flying” might have
escaped the danger, but many citizens most likely
had to share the fate of this city. Only some magical
beasts and constructs with strong vitality could
survive.
After entering the ruins, we did not see aught for
about half a day. Only trees of strange shapes that I
had never seen before peeked out from among the
broken buildings. But it was just a lucky break.
Around dusk, as we made our way toward the center
of the city, a magical beast called a chimera blocked
our way. These monsters are synthetic beasts
believed to have been created by a sorcerer
worshipping the Dark God in the days of the Ancient
Kingdom, and although their fertility is weak and
their numbers are small, they still survive today as an
independent species. The front half of the chimera’s
body resembles a black lion, and the back half a
black goat. Its tail is a serpent, and a goat’s head
grows from the center of its back. It was a chilling
abomination.
I had only encountered this magical beast once
before, but fortunately, it did not turn into a battle at
that time, and the monster quickly disappeared. But
this time there was no way to avoid a fight. I prepared
for the monster’s attack by uttering words of magic
in the higher ancient language. I had heard rumors
that chimeras could use dark magic.
Next to me, Aristea began to chant her “Battle Song”.
Rondamis drew his sword and stepped forward
shielding me. But by that time, the “Finders” had
already taken action to finish off the chimera. First,
Master Balen cast an ancient magic fire spell and
struck the chimera with a searing fireball. It was not
fatal, but while his opponent flinched, the others
surrounded the monster with their weapons in hand.
And within seconds, the monster turned into an
unmoving mass of flesh, lying on the ruined earth.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The
chimera is not a weak monster. On the contrary, it is
a very powerful magical beast. We were amazed at
the skill of the “Finders” able to defeat a chimera so
easily.
That night we camped in some ruins, and on the
morrow, we continued our investigation of the site
50
from early in the morning.
During that time, we encountered
several monsters, many of which
were golems, skeleton warriors, and
other guards that had been
protecting the city since the
days of the Ancient
Kingdom.
Fortunately, we did not encounter any Dragons. I
heard that even the “Finders” had never fought a
Dragon. Unless there are some extraordinary
circumstances, such as King Rijal’s, a Dragon is a foe
that should be avoided.
Then, Master Balen led us to the ruins of a huge
building. The building had once been a nobleman’s
mansion. The damage to the structure was small and
the roof was still firmly in place. Naturally, it was dark
inside and we had to use our magical lights to
illuminate our surroundings. Also, as a precaution,
we summoned a spirit of light to go ahead of us.
According to Teacher Balen, this building is an
abode of a magical beast manticore, which has lived
in the building since the time of the Ancient
Kingdom. Known as the guardians of evil
knowledge, the manticore could provide some
valuable information. In the past, Balen had
encountered this magical beast by chance and had
defeated it in a fierce battle. He had spared its life,
and in return, he made it answer questions about the
Ancient Kingdom.
As we expected, the manticore was crouching in a
windowless room on the second floor, holding its
51
breath. Its body was that
of a lion and its tail was like
a scorpion. On its back grew
huge bat wings, and its face was
that of an old person. That
old man’s visage was
eerily distorted. It
took me a
while to realize
that the creature
was smiling.
“Again, ye
bastards,”
the
manticore’s croaky voice echoed through the room,
“What do ye want this time?”
Master Balen offered me to tell the manticore what
I wanted to ask it. This magical beast knew a great
deal about the Ancient Kingdom and the aerial city.
This knowledge was indeed a living history that had
been passed down for five hundred years.
I asked the manticore as many questions as I could
think of. But the manticore’s answers were strangely
distorted and sarcastic riddles.
“Wherefore did the Ancient Kingdom fall?”
“Those who have left their eyes in their mother’s
womb will never see the light of the sun.”
“How did the people of this city live?”
“Is there any difference betwixt a bird that flieth in
the sky and a bird that singeth in the trees?”
“What is the life of a bird singing in a tree?”
“Birds in the wild and birds in cages eat the same
things and sing the same songs.”
It took me quite a while to get to the truth. But after
some time, I got the hang of getting the answers I
sought and learned some new facts.
The people’s way of life in the Ancient Kingdom, the
various tragedies that occurred after the city fell to
the ground, and some information about the
downfall of the Ancient Kingdom. The answers of
the manticore were all new to me.
I am deeply grateful to Master Balen for his
thoughtfulness in giving me this precious
opportunity.
The 520th Year of the New Kingdom
Calendar (Oran)
Oran continues to prosper. Rumors of war in the
Northeast Region have reached this great kingdom,
but it does not seem to be a matter of much concern
to the king. However, if the Kingdom of Plysis,
which lies unto the north of Oran, is defeated by the
Kingdom of Lodorille, Oran may become its next
target. This is because, in order to conquer the entire
Alecrast continent, it is more important to ignore the
Far East region and aim at Oran, the largest and most
powerful country in Alecrast. Some scholars living in
Oran have pointed out that the lack of response
from the kingdom is a result of carelessness.
For Oran, however, the biggest incident of all was
probably the annihilation of all the “Finders”, except
for the sorcerer Balen, during their adventures in the
Desert of Empty. They were all important figures in
the kingdom. The demise of these adventurers, who
had almost become legends, was a shock to all.
Moreover, after the return of Balen, the sole survivor,
the activities of the Sorcerer’s Guild became
strangely hectic. Among the sorcerers belonging to
the guild, some high-ranking masters of magic left
Oran, which is not something that happens every day.
Rumors are beginning to spread like the wind that
something momentous has happened that will affect
the fate of the entire world of Forcelia.
Mana Rai’s greatest achievement, however, is not the
founding of the Sorcerers’ Guild, but the
reorganization of the ten different systems of magic
that existed during the Ancient Kingdom Period into
a single system. Thanks to this, instead of learning
spells from a number of spellbooks on different
systems of magic, such as enchantment or illusion, it
became sufficient for sorcerers to study only the
spellbook compiled by Mana Rai.
But not only that. He has also revealed the
fundamental principles of ancient magic, which had
been transmitted only through the perfected
knowledge of the magic language called the higher
ancient language. According to Mana Rai’s
spellbook, things that make up all matter and the
source of all forces ultimately have the same root,
that is, magic power. Wherefore, magic is capable of
creating, transforming, and annihilating all materials
and all forces.
It is said that the gods used words in the creation of
the Forcelia world. They shaped things and
endowed creatures with souls. The words the gods
used to bring the world into existence are precisely
the higher ancient language; they taught this sacred
language to the Humans, the creatures they created
in their own image. By studying and analyzing the
higher ancient language, we can, in theory,

Heroic Tales ⦿ Mana Rai, the Great

Scholar And Ultimate Sorcerer
Speaking of the most famous sorcerers in Alecrast,
Mana Rai, the founder of the Sorcerers’ Guild and
still its head, is definitely worth mentioning. He is
well over a hundred years old, but he does not show
any sign of weakness and is still respected by all the
sorcerers in the guild.

52
reproduce the miracles performed by the gods.
Sorcery is indeed all-powerful.
There is a word in the ancient language that is
pronounced as “mana”. It is a key word in the higher
ancient language and is used in many spells. Mana
Rai points out that the word “mana” is the root of all
things, in other words, magic power itself. Mana Rai
has incorporated the word into his own name, as if
to appeal to the fact that he, too, is created from
mana.
Of course, there is no way to know whether Mana
Rai’s theory is true or not, but it has now become
popular among well-nigh all sorcerers belonging to
the Sorcerers Guild.
To make magic more accessible to the general public,
Mana Rai also succeeded in expressing some ancient
magic through the use of the common language.
This invention is called “common magic”. This is a
magic activator, a ring with the words of the spell
engraved on it, which requires mental concentration
in order to cast the spell. Therefore, when one is not
accustomed to it, they often make mistakes,
exhausting their energy and stamina, just as when a
sorcerer casts a spell. Anyone can buy them by
paying in silver coins to the Sorcerers’ Guild. Only a
limited number of ancient magic spells become
common magic, but with the invention of this new
form of magic, sorcery is getting more common, and
prejudice against sorcerers is decreasing.
The Sorcerers’ Guild accepts apprentices from all
walks of life as long as they show an aptitude for
sorcery. Mana Rai has tried to show that sorcerers,
who stood apart from the rest of society, were the
same as those engaged in other professions. And he
is succeeding in doing so. Many consider Mana Rai’s
achievements in removing prejudice among those
who detested magic to be the most praiseworthy of
his accomplishments.
Folklore ⦿ Rex the “Arial City”
It is said that the Kingdom of Kastool flourished for
thousands of years. Apparently, the people who lived
in the Ancient Kingdom were a little different as a
species from the people living today. Even now,
there is a higher race of Elves called High Elves, so
these ancient people were probably the equivalent of
the higher race of present-day Humans. It is said that
even in terms of magic abilities, they had potential
far beyond that of today’s Humans. It is because of
their abilities, along with the power of ancient magic,
that the magical civilization flourished.
53
There are still numerous texts and legends that tell
of the magical civilization of the Kingdom of Kastool.
The most famous of these is probably about Rex, a
city floating in the air created by the great enchanter
Bramp.
The ruins of Rex still lie to the north of Oran. These
ruins, also known as “Fallen City”, are the largest
ruins of the Ancient Kingdom in Alecrast and are a
treasury of various valuable items and magical
artifacts. But the number of monsters is also
incomparably greater than in other ruins, so ordinary
people would never go near them. However, there is
no end to the adventurers who are willing to risk their
lives seeking the ancient treasure that lies here. Some
of them are killed by monsters and never return.
It was for the treasures and magical items that lay in
the ruins of Rex that Mana Rai built the first
sorcerers’ guild in Oran. In his youth, he visited the
ruins of Fallen City with several guards and utilized
the treasures he acquired as funds to organize a
sorcerers’ guild where he used the found artifacts as
materials for his research.
The construction of Rex began about a hundred
years before the fall of the Kingdom of Kastool. The
sorcerer at the center of the project was Bramp, the
first governor of Rex, who laid a ring of huge rocks
on the ground and used magic to counteract the
effects of gravity above the circular space surrounded
by rocks. Then Dwarves brought large quantities of
rocks into the space and built the initial framework
of the aerial city. The remains of the rocky hill that
was carved out for this purpose are now Lake Mead.
Thus, one can behold what a large amount of rock
was used. On top of this framework, rocks were laid
to serve as the foundation, and intricate buildings
were built on top of it. Then, the rocks on which the
buildings were erected were magically restored to
gravity, and facilities for Human habitation were
constructed one after another.
This is how Rex was established. Bramp and his
associates continued expanding the aerial city more
and more. New circles of stones were placed around
the first ring—resulting in several layers of circular
formations—and in the newly formed space of
weightlessness, a new framework was constructed, a
foundation was laid, and highly sophisticated
buildings were erected one after another. What
started as a city of a few hundred people soon
became home to tens of thousands of people, and
was even considered the most prosperous place in
the kingdom.
Perhaps inspired by the construction of this city,
innovative cities were built in various regions at the
end of the Ancient Kingdom Period. The most
famous of these were Mara Ajanis’s Capital, the City
of Illusion, and the underground city of Freeon,
which was built utilizing the abilities of the spirits to
the utmost limit. Together with Rex, they are known
as the three major cities of Kastool. However, it
seems that the construction of these cities eventually
resulted in the unleashing of magic power, leading to
the destruction of the Kingdom of Kastool.
The first governor, Bramp, tried to make Rex bigger
when it was first built, but later stopped expanding
the city and devoted his energies to improving the
life inside. During his lifetime, Rex was such a
wonderful place that people even called it paradise.
However, with his death, Rex began to fall into
decline. It is said that this is due to the vanity of the
man who became the second governor of the city.
He kept building more and more circles of stones to
make Rex even bigger, and in the newly created
space, he built another city.
The construction of this second project was rapid
and apparently not well planned. The city grew larger,
but the accompanying facilities and magic were not
ready, and the new perimeter fell into a state of chaos.
The city also abolished the strict restrictions it had
previously imposed on occupancy and tried to
increase the population, which resulted in the
periphery of the city looking like a slum. Paradise
Rex died and became known as the Sick City of Rex.
54
Sensible people left it, and the conditions in Rex
were deteriorating increasingly.
And yet, that was not the only problem. The number
of people guarding the circles of stones that
supported the city from the ground also increased
enormously. As the city grew, the number of guards
grew exponentially, until it required a tremendous
1,000 times more guards than in the early days, and
even then the city had grown so large that they could
not cover the entire area of the circles of stones.
At the time the invasion of the savage tribes began.
They probably did not understand the meaning of
the magic the stones under the city held. But they
seemed to grasp the importance of the circles of
stones, which the guards protected with great care.
Savages broke the circles in various places. Some of
the guards might have been successful in thwarting
their attempts. However, the overwhelming number
of savages and the sheer size of the area made it
impossible for guards to control the situation. The
foe was destroying the stones one after another, and
the damage soon grew to the point where the circles
could no longer support the city.
Various attempts must have been made to sustain the
falling city. But once the city was on the verge of
collapse, it could not be restored. Like a giant
Dragon falling from the sky, Rex hit the ground and
collapsed, taking the lives of tens or hundreds of
thousands of people with it.
This incident occurred almost simultaneously with
the downfall of the Kingdom of Kastool itself. The
amount of magic power that had been applied to the
circles of stones was tremendous. After the city
collapsed, the plants and animals that had settled
here were exposed to strong magic power, which
changed their nature and appearance. This is the
reason why there are so many monsters that inhabit
this land and cannot be seen anywhere else. There
are tigers with huge fangs and rootless plants that
capture beasts with their wriggling tentacles; it is
rumored that even rocks and sand have been
transformed by magic powers and lead visitors to
their deaths. And that is not all. Survivors of the
golems and skeleton warriors that guarded the inside
of Rex are still following their orders and trying to
defeat intruders; even the souls of dead citizens of
Rex have become immortal monsters, trying to drag
the living into the Realm of the Dead.
It is not an unfounded claim for adventurers to say
that of all the remaining ominous places on Alecrast,
Fallen City is the most dangerous.
55
Heroic Tales ⦿ Palmer, the “Free
People”
The “Road of Free People”, which crosses the
southern part of Alecrast from east to west, was
created at the beginning of the New Kingdom
Period. Today, this road serves as a conduit betwixt
the various countries of Alecrast, with peddlers and
travelers constantly passing through.
Sans this road, the cultural development of Alecrast
culture would have been delayed by decades and
journeys would have been more dangerous. As long
as one follows the “Road of Free People”, the
journey through Alecrast is not that dangerous.
However, it took many years and great sacrifices ere
this road was completed.
Legend has it that in the Ancient Kingdom of
Kastool magical portals connected the cities with
each other. These portals made it possible to travel
instantaneously, no matter how great the distance.
After their creation, roads disappeared from the
Alecrast continent. The only areas inhabited by
Humans were cities, and the rest of the land had
become a wilderness where demons and monsters
dwelled. Of course, savages, the ancestors of modern
Humans who were unaffected by the benefits of the
Ancient Kingdom, might have built a number of
small paths similar to those of the animal trails.
However, those roads could never be far from their
own territory.
Since there were no roads connecting cities, the
ancestors of the New Kingdoms’ people, who were
scattered throughout various regions, rarely
interacted with each other. Wherefore, they, who
were far more numerous than the sorcerers of the
Ancient Kingdom, could not cooperate with each
other to oppose the domination of the Ancient
Kingdom.
However, the Ancient Kingdom collapsed as the
result of a massive burst of magic, the source of its
domination. Thereafter, the cities of the Ancient
Kingdom were destroyed one after another by the
savages’ offensive.
Thus, the Ancient Kingdom fell and the age of the
New Kingdoms arrived.
After the beginning of the New Kingdom period,
however, magic was almost entirely lost, and people
had to walk the earth to get around. Thus,
thoroughfares began to form in various regions.
After the establishment of the great empire known as
the Kingdom of Thadyne, small highways were built
in various places, especially in the eastern and central
regions, making transportation more convenient and
travel less dangerous. However, there was no road
connecting the eastern and western parts of Alecrast,
making it impossible to travel betwixt the two except
through the wilderness, full of dangers. In particular,
after the fall of the Kingdom of Thadyne, even the
roads that had existed before became desolate and
were swallowed up by the wilderness.
The reason for the great difference in culture betwixt
the East and the West of Alecrast, and the
emergence of different dialects, Eastern and
Western, was the absence of roads connecting the
east and west parts of the continent.
However, when the period of turmoil following the
fall of the Kingdom of Thadyne was over and the
eastern part of Alecrast began to stabilize, one
scholar realized that the lack of road connection was
slowing the development of the culture. His name
was Palmer Lori. He lived around the year 300 of
the New Kingdom Calendar in Oran when the
kingdom was still in its infancy. It was at his
suggestion that the construction of a road across
Alecrast was begun.
Scholar Palmer, being a man born into wealth, first
began building a road from Oran in a westward
direction by spending his private fortune.
King of Oran at that time was also a man who spared
no effort in pursuit of knowledge and prosperity of
his country, thus Palmer was able to receive support
from the kingdom. Thanks to this, the construction
of the road got off to a good start. At the same time,
however, Palmer also seemed to have foreseen that
the road construction using money would one day
come to a dead end.
“The road will be completed by the free will of the
people,” he always used to say.
He was always telling the workers he hired for money
about the importance and rightness of the work they
were doing. Although, it is said that he was not an
eloquent speaker and only talked about his dreams
in a matter-of-fact manner.
This dream was such a modest one: that the day
would come when peddlers’ carriages would travel
along the road they had built, and minstrels would
pass by playing their musical instruments...
Most of those who were hired probably did not listen
to such talk. Palmer himself, however, did not doubt
his word. The road should be completed with the
goodwill of the people...
It was Palmer’s belief.
He personally took the lead in the hard toil of
building the road. He cut down trees with his ax and
raised huge rocks using a lever.
The road construction started from the capital city of
Oran and continued along the coast finally reaching
the border of the kingdom after about a year of work.
But at this point, in the end, the event Palmer had
anticipated occurred. The King of Oran, fearing that
the extension of the road would lead to wars of
aggression from other countries, cut off support for
its construction.
56
The King of Oran simply thought that once the aid
was cut off, the road-building work would no longer
proceed, so he did not forbid the work itself. The
reasoning of the King at the time was that the
Kingdom of Oran could not interfere in the affairs
of lands outside of its territory.
Palmer did not even protest. He simply continued to
work silently on the road construction. Of course,
many of the men who had been recruited left as soon
as they were no longer being paid, but a few who
believed in Palmer’s dream stayed with him and
continued to work on the road. Some of them were
knights originally in the service of Oran. They had
been sent to protect the safety of the work, but they
were so moved by Palmer’s noble intentions that
they stopped serving Oran and offered their
cooperation as independent knights.
The labor of Palmer and his crew of road builders
was not for the benefit of Oran alone but for the sake
of all the people living in Alecrast. Wherefore, they
could not help but discard the fetters of the country.
And they took pride in doing so. “The road will be
completed by the free will of the people.”
True to Palmer’s words, they called themselves “free
people” and named the road that was being built the
“Road of Free People”.
However, despite the greatness of their ambitions,
they faced increasing obstacles after leaving Oran.
They suffered attacks from youma and magical
beasts living in the wilderness and sometimes fought
with bandits and savage tribes.
However, as the rumor of the “free people” spread,
more and more individuals gradually came to share
Palmer’s ideals. The number of those participating
in the construction of the road was steadily increasing.
Among them were people from countries other than
Oran.
When support from the King of Oran was cut off,
the work of building the road was continued by only
a few people, but by the time the road was completed,
it is said that there were hundreds of people working
together.
57
However, Palmer himself ended his life twenty years
before the completion of the road. He never saw his
dream come true...
Yet, the “free people” carried on Palmer’s legacy
with great dedication. Finally, in the year 350 of the
New Kingdom Calendar, the “Road of Free People”
was completed. It took more than 50 years to
complete the road, and more than 1,000 people lost
their lives in the process of building.
The finished highway was marked with stone
signposts placed at equal intervals, and squares were
set up in various places for camping. It was on this
road that such kind of facilities was first provided for
travelers.
Many villages began to spring up along the road.
Thus, travel was becoming more and more
convenient.
“When the road is built, people will pass through.
When people pass through, villages will rise, and
eventually, the country will prosper.”
Palmer’s dream, which also included these words,
came true. According to some, the area where Saine
and Eremire are located was the first land where
kingdoms emerged after the completion of the road,
and without it, the kingdoms would not have been
established.
Moreover, place names such as “Desert of Malice”,
also known as the Khan Desert, and “Chain of
Bizarre Cliffs” on Lake Air were named by the free
people who built the road.
After the completion of the road, the free people
settled in the western part of the Alecrast continent
and founded a small village there. Their settlement
was named Palmer after their great leader.
Even today, in the far west of Alecrast, there is a
small village where the Eastern dialect is still spoken
as an everyday language. The name of that village is
Palmer and is known to all travelers who pass
through the “Road of Free People”.
58
1. Eremire, the “Kingdom of Craftsmen”
1.1. Eremire. Chronicles: the Year 517
In the Kingdom of Oran, I had the good fortune to
meet with Mana Rai, which had been a long-time
wish of mine, and also to see the ruins of “Fallen City”
with my own eyes. The ruins of Fallen City are home
to a variety of monsters incomparable to any other
place, and in my limited time, I was only able to
examine a small part of them. However, it is said that
many scholars of the Sorcerers’ Guild of Oran
specialize in studying these ruins, and someday their
research will fully reveal the unique ecology of this
place.
Our next destination was the Kingdom of Eremire
and the Kingdom of Saine, the two great powers
located in central Alecrast. This area is a place where
the eastern and western cultural spheres of Alecrast
mix, thereby naturally forming a culture that
combines the characteristics of both. Among them,
Eremire is known as the Kingdom of the Craftsmen,
where various industries thrive. Many say that this is
not only due to its geographical advantage of being
located in an important transportation hub and
blessed with good ports but also because of the hard
work of the country’s guild leaders over the years.
The guild system in other countries is supported by
tight-knit but closed relationships betwixt one master
and several apprentices. The techniques of a master
are not available to the public, and can only be
passed on to the apprentices who work under that
master. Therefore, the quality of a finished product
is determined by the skill of the craftsman who made
it, and even products made in a single region are not
uniform in quality.
This is why merchants need to be able to judge the
quality of the goods they deal in, but in reality, it is
impossible to know if a product is good or bad
without actually trying it. In Eremire, however, the
various guilds gather as one, in a single corner of the
city to share their techniques and enhance each
other’s skills. In addition, since the finished goods
are sold to a single wealthy merchant, the transaction
value rarely fluctuates.
Eremire’s products are famous for their consistent
quality, and while there are no outstanding products,
there are no extremely defective ones either.
Products from Eremire are cheap and reliable,
making them used in all regions throughout Alecrast.
59
1.2. The “Desert of Malice” Khan.
Chronicles: the Year 517
To the north of the Kingdom of Eremire, lies the
Khan Desert, also known as the “Desert of Malice”.
Despite its sinister name, the Khan Desert, unlike
the Desert of Empty in the northern part of Alecrast,
has spiritual forces at work and is inhabited by
creatures that are resilient to drought. Above all,
there are even nomads who have made this land
their home.
Since these nomads live in the desert where the land
is poor, many have left their homeland, and most of
the tribe is now scattered throughout Alecrast as
wanderers. They roam all over the continent in
groups of about ten. They earn their daily bread as
itinerant entertainers and peddlers. Others live in the
downtown areas of cities as apothecaries or diviners.
But I have never heard of any of these people
adapting to another culture. No matter where they
live, they never forget their homeland, the desert,
nor do they try to change their way of living. The
wealth of skills and knowledge they have acquired is
even beyond the reach of ordinary scholars, though
it has all been passed down orally from their
ancestors. These people are extremely secretive and
few know anything about them. Of course, neither
do I.
From the few rumors I have gathered, they seem to
believe in their unique god and do not serve any
other deity. Apparently, their principle of secrecy
also has something to do with this doctrine.
I do not know if that god actually exists or not. For
there have always been many examples of people
believing in non-existent deities, and in recent years,
with fewer and fewer priests using magic powers, the
trend has become even stronger. Such priests are
appearing in various parts of the continent, serving
new gods that are completely different from the
conventional system and attracting more people to
their faith.
Perhaps, it does not really matter to believers
whether a god is real or not. This nomadic tribe, too,
is not willing to abandon its own faith, whether or not
it has any practical benefit. They earnestly believe in
their god, follow his doctrine, and endure a life of
wandering.
In my homeland of Ohfun, I had never paid much When we approached them, what we got back was
attention to these nomadic people. However, as I not words of welcome, but powerful spirit magic.
saw them in various parts of Alecrast during this Their attacks with the spirits of fire and wind were a
journey, I could not help but develop an interest in clear sign that they would not let us leave alive.
their mysterious way of life.
There were about twenty of them, and I had no
So, after observing a few artisanal guilds in the city of choice but to retreat, using magic to fight back. In the
Eremire, we decided to head north to the Khan battle of spirit magic, Kenny, our fellow druid monk,
Desert to see the real life of nomads there. The turned out to be better than the spirit users on the
Khan Desert is sparsely covered with grass, and other side. Somehow he managed to save the day.
oases well up in some places. Nevertheless, it is still However, after this, we became enemies with the
a desert and not a comfortable place for Human entire tribe and were repeatedly attacked by their
habitation. For the life of me, I could not understand assassins.
wherefore they were so determined in cleaving to this
Their assassination techniques, aided by magic, were
barren land.
so fearsome that we still cannot let our guard down
It is said that deserts originally emerge in places in case of their evil influence. Whatever the rituals
where the spiritual forces of earth and water are weak. we witnessed, I have never been able to learn what
Mountains are born where the forces of the earth are they were. These days, however, I am becoming
particularly strong, while lakes and seas form where convinced that by no means was that done for the
the water spiritual forces are extremely powerful. right purpose. Whenever I see these people on the
street, my conviction of this dark premonition
The Material World owes its existence to the inexplicably grows stronger.
delicate balance of the spiritual forces of four
elements. Various natural disasters are said to be
phenomena that occur when these spiritual forces
are disrupted. For example, typhoons are caused by
the excess of the spiritual forces of wind and water,
while droughts happen when the spiritual forces of
fire become too strong. Such phenomena as
earthquakes and heavy rainfall are also, of course, a
result of disturbances in the spiritual forces of nature,
and it is said that it was originally to counter these
natural threats that spirit users learned the art of
handling spirits. That is why even in the time of the
Ancient Kingdom, savage tribes, who had naught to
do with the ancient magic, had their own spirit users.
I suppose it became a necessary skill for them to
survive.
It was not easy to find these desert nomads. We had
to return to the city of Eremire twice, before finally
meeting them on our third visit.
But it was an unfortunate encounter. They were in
the midst of performing a ritual important to their
faith, which was also apparently a tribal secret not to
be beheld by strangers. Of course, I learned about
this later.

60
61
2. Saine, the “Kingdom of Lakesides”
2.1. Saine. Chronicles: the Year 517
After leaving Oran, it seemed as if our luck had
deserted us. We were pursued by desert nomads for
having witnessed their secret rituals, and on top of
that, this time we were caught in the middle of a civil
war in the Kingdom of Saine, the country we were
visiting next.
While Eremire is a country of artisans, Saine is an
agricultural country centered on farming, cattle
breeding, and forestry. It is a new kingdom that
emerged after its predecessor, the Kingdom of
Moraana, was destroyed by the Evil Dragon Krish;
its founder is King Slard, who served as a knight
during the days of Moraana.
The Kingdom of Moraana, though small, was a
venerable kingdom that boasted an ancient family
lineage, and even today there are still many people
who hope for its restoration. For this reason, the
royal family of Saine does not think highly of my
native Ohfun, whose queen is of Moraana royal
blood. Saine is also a country that historically hates
magic, more so after the Krish incident. Therefore
with so many magic users in our group, there was no
reason that people would welcome us.
I might have been careless not to get a better grasp
of the situation in advance. But even so, in normal
times there would surely have been no problems.
However, at the time of our visit, the city of Saine
was in the midst of a delicate situation over the third
succession to the throne, and we ended up suffering
the full brunt of it.
The story began with the sudden death of the
previous king, Uranus I. This second king of Saine
was highly respected as a great ruler and
consolidated the foundations of the current
Kingdom of Saine. King Uranus passed away,
leaving behind two princes. The elder of the two, the
crown prince, was not a very remarkable man and
did not seem to possess the qualities of a king.
In contrast, the younger prince demonstrated
outstanding talents in both the literary and military
arts and earned a reputation as a suitable successor
to the wise rule of King Uranus. However, it was
naturally the elder brother, the crown prince, who
would become king. In other words, Saine was
placed in a situation that could easily lead to civil war.
The elder prince temporarily took the throne, but
his brother, supported by some nobles and knights,
ousted him and proclaimed himself a new ruler. Of
course, in response to this outrageous act, the faction
that supported the king declared war against the
party of the younger brother.
The faction of the younger brother refused to give
in, insisting that he was the rightful king, and finally
defeated the king’s faction in a decisive battle on the
outskirts of the capital city of Saine, also beheading
the elder brother, the king. At the time, a group of
former Moraana nobles who wished to restore the
Kingdom of Moraana claimed that the prince of
Ohfun, who was of Morana royal blood, was the
rightful heir to the throne, thus triggering an anti-
Saine war.
And that is where we came in. Needless to say, we
were captured at the gate to the city as soon as we
introduced ourselves revealing our identities.
I protested against such treatment, but no one would
listen to me. In the end, we were kept under house
arrest for six months until the civil war was over,
wasting precious time.
The reason for keeping us safe may have been to
avoid a war with Ohfun, though it seems that it was
just because Saine’s national power was weakening.
Or am I overthinking this?
The 520th year of the New Kingdom
Calendar (The Central Region)
There are no major changes in the Kingdom of
Eremire. However, there is something a little
unusual about the movements of the Khan Desert
tribesman. They are supposed to be scattered all
over the Alecrast continent, but in recent years they
have been frequenting the Khan Desert, wherefore
they are now often seen in the city of Eremire.
The Kingdom of Saine was recently rocked by a civil
war over the selection of its third king, and general
confusion is still in the air. What especially
complicates matters is that a faction that tried to
attract the prince of Ohfun to their side in the recent
civil war sought asylum in the Kingdom of Ohfun
after losing the battle. The Kingdom of Saine has
demanded that the Kingdom of Ohfun hand over
these nobles. However, as the King of Ohfun, Rijal
could not abandon those who had come to depend
on him. As a result, relations betwixt the two
62
countries suddenly deteriorated. At the same time,
with the Kingdom of Lomar in the west becoming
more active, the Kingdom of Saine began to prepare
for war by calling up soldiers, hiring mercenaries,
and purchasing weapons. Since there are two other
countries, Lomar and Fandria, betwixt them, it is
unlikely that the two countries will directly engage in
war, but if something were to happen in the Central
Plains region, it is believed that the Kingdom of
Saine would join the anti-Ohfun camp and act
accordingly.
Heroic Tales ⦿ Gamel, the “Father of
Currency”
Silver coins are the predominant currency in
Alecrast. Of course, gold coins are produced and
used in the more economically affluent regions, but
in most countries, the monetary system is based on
silver coins as the base unit (a gold coin is exchanged
for 50 silver coins).
It has been about 120 years since the silver coinage
system was established, and the first person to bring
currency to Alecrast was Count Gamel, a renowned
minister in the Kingdom of Moraana.
Ere the invention of silver coins, business
transactions were conducted either by barter or by
weighing precious metals such as gold and silver.
Naturally, there was no concept of price, trade was
extremely primitive, and in fact, there was a great
deal of fraud.
However, one day, a metal similar to silver,
reputedly made by Dwarves, appeared in the then
kingdom of Moraana, wreaking havoc on the
country’s economy. To protect fair business
transactions, Count Gamel was induced to create
and distribute a price list whereby the same item
carried the same price in silver coins in any part of
the country.
Although the currency system encountered many
problems in the beginning, it gradually took root and
was welcomed by the people. Moreover, the
discerning Count Gamel persuaded the king that this
system should not be limited to the domestic market,
but should be introduced to neighboring countries as
well, and traveled abroad to advocate the importance
of silver coins and observance of the price list. He
also introduced the technology of casting silver coins
and handed over the coins to be used as samples.
63
The countries that received a visit from Count
Gamel welcomed the new system and immediately
put it into practice. For many countries were facing
the same problems as the Kingdom of Moraana.
Thus, silver coins gradually spread around the world
and became commonly used in many places.
However, when Count Gamel entered one of the
small kingdoms, he was ambushed by the king of that
kingdom and brutally murdered. The king
mistakenly assumed that Gamel was planning to
conquer Alecrast by integrating and controlling the
monetary system.
After this, other kingdoms, led by Moraana, raised
an army to avenge the death of Count Gamel and
destroyed the small kingdom. But Count Gamel was
never to return. He never got to see the silver coins
he had made actually being used in other countries...
In honor of his achievements, the people of Alecrast
sometimes refer to the unit of a silver coin as a
“gamel”.
Silver coins are made from the same weight of silver
in every country and are valid everywhere.
Now that the Kingdom of Moraana no longer exists,
silver coins are mainly made in the coinage guilds of
the Kingdom of Saine. These silver coins have the
visage of Count Gamel embossed on them. He was
a man praised as a hero, not for his skill with a sword,
but for his ideas and insight.
Thanks to him, those who travel throughout Alecrast
can now freely use their savings in any country they
visit. Recently, not only Humans but also Elves,
Dwarves, and other fairy tribes have begun to use
silver coins. They may not know the origin of the
name, but they do not mind in the slightest calling
this new invention a gamel.
64
1. Lomar, the “Kingdom of Travelers”
1.1. Lomar. Chronicles: the Year 518
We had to waste half a year in Saine. The treatment
we received during that time was less than wonderful,
and when we were finally allowed to leave the
country, I realized how grateful I was to be free. At
the same time, I learned that thou never knowest
what dangers await thee on a journey. My home
country, Ohfun, was just ahead of me, but I knew
that from now on it was better to be safe than sorry.
We asked the travelers coming from the other side
of the road how things were going there and decided
to head for our next destination, the Kingdom of
Lomar.
Lomar is a city-state with long-established traditions.
Located at the intersection of east-west and north-
south trade routes, it is a prosperous country with
thriving commerce, but at the same time, constantly
under threat of invasion from neighboring
kingdoms. Its location on a strategic point in the road
network and the wealth brought by travelers are
probably its greatest attraction, making it the first
land to be targeted by ambitious kings trying to
conquer other countries.
As a result, since its founding, Lomar has repeatedly
been the victim of invasions. However, many of
Lomar’s nobles are excellent military men. They had
no choice but to become so in order to protect their
country. In addition, the mercenaries that Lomar has
recruited using its abundant wealth are a formidable
force in battle.
Lomar has an impressive military power that hardly
fits in with it being a city-state. In particular, the
incident that took place more than a decade ago,
when during the war initiated by the neighboring
Reide Empire the invader’s large army was defeated
on the shores of Lake Nomiol, is still fresh in
people’s memories. Against the swarming cavalry of
Reide, Asner II, who is still the king of Lomar, did
not stay in the city and fought the battle head-on. He
won a great victory over Reide’s army by using the
classic tactic of forming a dense formation of troops
with long spears. Moreover, King Asner II continued
his march to the Reide’s frontiers and conquered the
empire in no time. Lomar then annexed the Reide
territories, confirming its status as a major power in
the Central Plains.
The unexpected victory of Lomar must have been
unsettling for neighboring countries such as the
65
Kingdom of Saine and the Kingdom of Fandria. The
Kingdom of Fandria, for example, has hired a
considerable number of mercenaries in recent years
and is actively training its militia. Of course, this is
due to the fear of an invasion by the Kingdom of
Lomar.
As a result, one military power calls for another.
These trends of recent years sound very dangerous
to me. Those with power are at the same time
sensitive to the power of others and frightened of
shadows that never existed.
If a conflict were to break out betwixt the great
powers such as Saine, Lomar, Fandria, and our
home country Ohfun and its ally Ramleers, it would
most likely turn into a huge war that would last for
years or maybe even decades.
Nevertheless, Lomar’s army seems to be playing an
effective role in maintaining public order in this
country of many travelers. Guards can be seen
everywhere in the city, and it is a blessing when one
does not have to worry about protecting oneself or
one’s possessions. It is no different in any country
that thou hast to watch out for thieves who come after
thy pockets, but at least here thou wilt not suddenly
find thyself in mortal danger on the streets.
1.2. The Black Market in Lomar.
Chronicles: the Year 518
When I once mentioned that the city of Lomar was
peaceful, Knight Rondamis simply laughed and
denied it. I had no idea what he meant with his mirth.
The others seemed not to have understood it either.
Aristea, a priestess of Mylee, the god of war, Judith,
a forest guardian of Ramleers, and Kenny, a nature-
worshipping monk, were not well versed in worldly
affairs. And though well-traveled mercenaries,
Balzac and Vianne were from the Northeast of
Alecrast anyway. They could not possibly know
aught about Lomar either.
So, offering to show us the true face of Lomar,
Rondamis led us to the city downtown. According to
Rondamis, the south and the north of the city differ
drastically in nature. They are divided by the “Road
of Free People”. In the northern part of Lomar,
there are noble mansions and merchant houses,
while the southern part is a downtown area where the
citizens live and the true heart of the city lies.
What we saw there was a huge market that seemed
to bring together goods from all over Alecrast. Local
products from various regions were lined up in rows
along the sides of small alleys and sold at surprisingly
low prices. I could not even imagine how in the
world these goods reached this market.
Poisonous medicinal herbs, hidden weapons for
assassination, and even Human slaves were bought
and sold. Moreover, Unicorn horns, which are
extremely hard to come by, were simply displayed in
shop windows. When Judith saw this, she was
furious. Rondamis and mercenary Vianne quickly
subdued her and saved the day, otherwise, we would
have been in deep trouble. This is a place ruled by
thieves’ guilds and other secret societies, which the
king himself recognizes and protects.
If Judith had drawn her sword here, I am sure that
we would not have made it out of this place alive.
Judith understood this as well but made no attempt
to hide her frustration. I later heard that she had lost
two Unicorns she had been responsible for and as a
result, had been dismissed from her duties as a forest
66
guardian. And one of them was actually the white
horse she was carrying with her all along. In order to
save her, it had let itself get touched by impurity and
used up all the magic power of its horn which
resulted in it changing into its current form.
She told us in tears that she did not want to allow
people to hunt such noble and tender mythical
beasts as Unicorns. I could understand her feelings.
When I myself touched a Unicorn in the Unicorn
Woods, my whole body trembled. I even remember
shedding tears like a little girl moved by its heart full
of awe-inspiring benevolence and compassion
turned toward me.
Rondamis did not stop showing us around
downtown, this time leading us to the arena. I heard
that arenas are not a rarity in western states and that
there are many of them of various sizes scattered in
different places. The arena in Lomar is the largest of
them all.
Here, defeated prisoners of war, criminals, and those
who willingly became gladiatorial slaves in order to
gain wealth duel risking their lives. This time, Aristea,
the priestess of the god of war, became furious. She
vehemently condemned this as an insult to the
sacred battle. However, the wise Aristea did not try
to take any immediate action, so no further problems
arose.
Then, before our very eyes, two slaves, a spear-
wielding warrior and a man armed with a net and a
trident appeared and began to fight. Immediately,
the place became a melting pot of wild excitement,
and both men and women cheered the fierce battle
unfolding before their eyes.
The battle was settled almost instantly when the
young spearman warrior conceded defeat after being
entangled in a net around his legs. In response, a
chorus of discontent erupted from the crowd. A
single “Kill him!” became a signal, which the crowd
immediately picked up and began to shout
repeatedly. The arena’s guest of honor, known as the
“judge”, slowly pointed his thumb at the ground...
At the same moment, I realized what was hidden
inside the true nature of Lomar and the dark side of
humanity.
1.3. Reide, the “City of Mercenaries”.
Chronicles: the Year 518
Ere its annexation by the Kingdom of Lomar, the
city of Reide was on the territory of the empire with
67
the same name. The Reide Empire was merely a
province of the large western country of Bore when
it was still in existence and thriving. However, after
the fall of this great power, Reide became an
independent empire along with a bunch of city-states
in the Western region. Nearly one hundred years
after its founding, Emperor Luzon II, the fourth in
line counting from the founder emperor, Luzon I,
was in power. He turned out to be quite an ambitious
man. From the very beginning, since the time of the
founder kind, he was calling himself an emperor, so
he must have been aiming to conquer the Central
Plains Region all along. He would have started his
war of conquest much earlier if it had not taken him
so long to exterminate the local savage tribes and the
forces that opposed the empire, and if the second
and third emperors had not been assassinated in the
empire’s internal strife.
And the first target of Luzon’s II ambitions was
nothing other than the city-state of Lomar. However,
the war ended in a great victory for the Kingdom of
Lomar, and the Reide Empire inevitably fell. The
city of Reide also became one of the cities under the
control of Lomar, and its ruler was replaced by a
governor from Lomar’s nobility. However, it seems
that the initial character of the city has not changed
much.
The city of Reide is still recruiting mercenaries, and
many men and women dressed like mercenaries can
be seen in the streets. There are two mercenaries’
guilds in the city, and each is actively engaged in its
own activities. These guilds are organizations whose
purpose is to recruit mercenaries and arrange their
work for rulers who need them. In times of war and
in times of peace, the rulers who require mercenaries
send messengers to the city of Reide to hire them
from the guilds.
Mercenaries’ guilds are recently created
organizations modeled after the thieves’ guilds. In
the East, there is one similar guild in Oran.
Because there are so many mercenaries, it is no
surprise that there are also many stores selling
related products. The city is filled with weapon and
armor shops. There was everything: from daggers for
self-defense to longswords about my height. It was
indeed a surprising sight to behold: stores
specializing only in swords or spears, and even shops
selling only magical weapons. Out of curiosity, I
decided to enter a magic weapon shop.
Indeed, the store was filled with exquisitely crafted
swords, spears, and hammer-halberd. As one would
expect, there were not many of them. After getting
permission from the shopkeeper, I cast the “Magic
Detection” spell. I found that all the weapons were
imbued with magic power, just as the store had
claimed. The ritual magic used to create magical
weapons and armor is now lost. Therefore, naturally,
all the items in this store had been dug up from the
ruins of the Ancient Kingdom. Adventurers had
risked their lives to retrieve these items from the
ruins, and now they were here, on the shelves of this
shop. Magic weapons and armor are priced at about
a hundred times the price of ordinary weapons.
Some of them are so exceptional that they are
impossible to put a price on, and their cost is
determined by negotiation. Such items are typically
bought by kings, influential nobles, successful
adventurers, and merchants with good taste.
According to the shopkeeper, recently, powerful
aristocrats of the Kingdom of Lomar visited the store
one after another and made purchases, selecting only
the most expensive items. With a wry smile on his
face, the shopkeeper told me that this was just like
when the Reide Empire tried to start a war in the past.
“I hope it won’t be a losing one this time”, he said
curling his lips in a sneer.
His words left me with a gloomy feeling. How much
territory and how many people do rulers need to
have under their control to satisfy their lust for
power? When in the world will be an end to this?
Heroic Tales ⦿ Rufus the
“Swordmaster”
Perhaps the most famous gladiator of recent years
in the arena of Lomar is Rufus, the
eternal champion and the
“Swordmaster”.
Before
becoming a
gladiator, Rufus
the
“Swordmaster” was a mercenary in the Reide
Empire. His background before that is not clear, but
it seems that he was born in the Northeast of
Alecrast. As far as is known, he came to the region
as part of an escort for a merchant. He then stayed
in this war-torn land and became a mercenary. At
that time, he was still a young boy.
Unfortunately for him, Rufus had joined the side of
the Reide Empire. Reide was defeated in a war
against Lomar, which was considered to be
impossible, and he himself was wounded and
captured. His life was saved by Lord Lance, a Lomar
nobleman, and the keeper of the Lomar Arena.
Evidently, he saw how Rufus fought and decided to
make him one of his gladiators.
The underlying reason for this was to confront the
“invincible and brilliant” Cade, who had remained
the champion for the past several years. The name
of the nobleman holding Cade was Dunas. He was a
political opponent of Lord Lance, as they were both
vying for the position of next chancellor. The fact
that Dunas owned Cade was well known among the
people, as well as contributed to his high reputation
in the royal castle of Lomar, which was quite an
abominable trend.
Therefore, in order to suppress Lord Dunas and
become a chancellor, Lord Lance had to send a
champion to replace Cade.
Thus began Rufus’s life as a
gladiator. He was always
matched up against the
toughest fighters for
Lance wanted to
impress the
audience with
Rufus’s
68
strength through winning seemingly disadvantageous
fights.
Rufus won each of his battles, and his strength was
recognized. The men admired the courage of a man
in the way he fought, and the women were enchanted
by the beauty of his figure in a battle... Rufus fought
and won with all kinds of weapons, yet he was
especially impressive when fighting with a long
sword.
It is for this reason that he came to be known as the
“Swordmaster”. Naturally, people began to wish for
a contest betwixt this young “Swordmaster” and the
champion Cade.
And then the day came for the two to meet in battle.
There are even rumors that the king himself came to
watch the event in secret. People whispered that the
duel betwixt Cade and Rufus would become the
battle to determine the best swordsman in Alecrast.
They even claimed that the winner would probably
be stronger than the “Dragon-Slayer” Rijal of Ohfun.
The battle began. Both men wore thin leather armor,
but Rufus chose only one longsword as his weapon,
while Cade was armed with an all-metal kite-shaped
shield and wore an elaborately designed wide-blade
sword. Rufus chose his weapons so as not to lose his
high agility which was superior to that of his
opponent, while Cade picked his arms considering
solely how attractive he would look.
2. Fandria, the “Kingdom of Chaos”
2.1. Fandria. Chronicles: the Year 518
We were finally within a stone’s throw of our home
country of Ohfun: we made it to Fandria, a
neighboring country of Ohfun.
Of course, our journey was not over yet. After
returning to Ohfun, we are planning to embark on
another journey, this time to the countries of the
Western region. Still, we could not shake the feeling
of relief that we have accomplished most aspects of
our mission, and it was indeed a comforting thought.
Unfortunately, however, the neighboring country of
our Ohfun, Fandria, is by no means a place where
one can feel at home.
Fandria is a kingdom that is, so to speak, a brother
to Ohfun. Both of them were formerly a part of the
giant Kingdom of Phun. In the year 494 of the New
Kingdom Calendar, the Kingdom of Phun was
virtually destroyed by a civil war that broke out due
69
This proved to play a decisive role in the outcome of
the fight. The battle, as expected, was heated and
prolonged. Both fighters were gradually exhausting
themselves, but the heavily armed Cade’s fatigue was
far greater.
Cade finally threw away the obstructing shield and
was about to deal a killing blow to Rufus.
Rufus barely parried it, and this time, on the
contrary, he swung his sword over Cade’s head.
Cade intercepted the attack. However, Rufus’s blow
was only a check. Without a pause, he struck again,
this time with all his might, directly to the side.
Rufus’s sword sliced through Cade’s armor and sunk
deep into the champion’s left chest...
Thus, a new champion was born.
For the next year, Rufus remained a constant winner
in all his battles and then retired as a champion.
Later, he became an adventurer and achieved great
success in this field as well. But one day, with a vast
fortune in his hands, he suddenly disappeared from
the land of Lomar.
Where he went is now only a rumor. Some say that
he returned home, others that he went to the Island
of Damned in the south and became its ruler. The
truth is unknown, but there has never been a single
rumor passed on about his failures. Thus Rufus will
always remain the eternal champion.
to a power struggle among influential nobles
followed by an attack of the Evil Dragon Krish.
In the midst of this turmoil, southeastern
organizations, including several guilds, associations,
and even temples, worked together to put Tilar I,
known as the Obedient King, on the throne, annex
the southern city-state of Python, and establish the
Kingdom of Fandria. This was six years ere King
Rijal married the Princess of Moraana, who was also
the Queen of Phun, and founded Ohfun.
Among the organizations behind Fandria are the
Fandria Thieves’ Guild of the “Thousand Fingers”,
Assassins’ League of the “Bloody Dagger”, the
Traders’ Guild of the “Iron-Footed Donkey”, the
Temple of the Dark God and its followers’
association, the “Black Sun”, and many others.
Not all of them can be called virtuous organizations.
Wherefore, Fandria is called the “Kingdom of
Chaos”.
Although Ohfun and Fandria maintain friendly
relations on the surface, both countries have
ambitions to unify territories of the former Kingdom
of Phun under their own rule. One can never know
when this ambition will take the form of war.
As for the Obedient King Tilar I, who became the
founder king with the support of the aforementioned
organizations, it seems that he was by no means
incompetent as a king. In fact, it is said that it was
largely due to the skill of Tilar I that the country was
able to overcome the turmoil in the early days after
its founding. However, Tilar I’s authority as king was
not that great because he did not win it by his own
efforts.
Therefore, Tilar I began to implement a policy to
strengthen his royal authority. Whether he did so out
of genuine concern for the people or simply out of a
desire for power is not clear.
In any case, before Tilar I could realize his dream,
he suddenly fell ill and passed away. There are
rumors whispered about the sudden death of the
founder king that he was assassinated by poisoning,
which I fear is likely to be true, for Rod I, who
succeeded Tilar I, also died suddenly of illness, just
like the previous king: in the middle of pursuing
policies to expand his royal authority.
It appears that the current King Tilar II has given up
the idea of expanding the regal power and is living a
luxurious life in the royal castle, almost never
attempting to meddle in the affairs of the country.
Therefore, people whisper maliciously that the new
king is sure to live a long life.
2.2. The Temple of the Dark God.
Chronicles: the Year 518
I had long wanted to visit the Temple of the Dark
God.
Do not misunderstand me, I am not a follower of the
Dark God. Naturally, I had never had a chance to
hear firsthand what the teachings of the Dark God
are like. I had certainly heard many rumors about
the evil deeds of the followers of the Dark God, but
these rumors might have been distorted by prejudice.
In Fandria, there are officially recognized temples of
the Dark God, which allows one to meet a dark
priest in person. I wanted to verify the veracity of the
rumors about the Dark God by listening to what dark
priests had to say.
Wherefore together with Rondamis, I betook myself
unto the temple of the Dark God, explained our
situation, and requested a meeting with a dark priest.
However, the paladin in charge of the gate refused
the request, which led to a heated exchange of
opinions.
Fortunately for me, Pale, the supreme priest of that
temple, happened to be passing by. When he heard
what was our purpose, he showed great interest in
the matter and agreed to speak with us.
Pale led us to his private room inside the temple,
where he began to explain the doctrine of the Dark
God which goes like this:
“The Great Phalaris teaches us that we are meant to
live a free life. How we interpret that freedom is our
affair and has naught to do with the will of Phalaris.
Wherefore, if a good man chooses to be true to his
own heart and desires to do good deeds, Phalaris
approves of that. And if someone is wicked at heart
and desires to do evil, again, Phalaris will approve.
Phalaris is positive about everything that man does
of his own volition. Rather, he deplores the greatest
sin of all, which is that the priests of other gods
deprive us of our free will.
In the Age of Mythology, the Dark God waged war
against all other gods precisely to proclaim that we
should live by our own will and not by the will of the
gods.
Now we are obliged to live by our own will. This is
what Phalaris wished for. But we still try to rely on
the power of the gods. We ask the gods how we
should live, and we try to convince ourselves that this
is the absolute truth.
Dost thou not think it will be so futile if this results
in our own destruction? We believe in the teachings
of Phalaris and strive to be faithful to our own will.
Our Phalaris bestows unlimited support to those
who act according to their volition. The one and only
god who offers us the life of the utmost freedom is
Phalaris,” said the dark priest Pale with a broad smile
on his face.
In response to his words, I could not help but ask
wherefore those who believe in the teachings of
Phalaris would commit such wicked deeds.
70
“Isn’t it because people are wicked?” the dark priest
replied quietly. “I think that this is exactly because
the wicked way of life is the most natural for a man.”
I did not object to that. In a way, I knew it was true.
There is both good and evil inside of each person.
Moreover, people are weak. They choose to walk
the easy road rather than the hard one. And the easy
path more often than not leads one to depravity.
However, I just cannot bring myself to approve of
Phalaris who upholds this. Other gods do indeed
force people to live in a certain way. They tell us to
take the hard path. But I cannot for the life of me
see how a person who believes in it and lives
righteously is not free.
I can assure you that it is complete and arrant
nonsense to say that only those who believe in
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Phalaris are free. And then I thought that it is
probably the most significant achievement of my
journey—being able to say so.
The Year 520 of the New Kingdom
Calendar (Southern Central Plains)
The invitation by the Kingdom of Lomar to the
scholar Lukial, a military strategist of the Northeast
city-state of Plysis, has caused considerable dismay in
neighboring countries. This further complicated the
relationship of conflict and tension in the Central
Plains region and its neighboring countries.
In addition to the old confrontation betwixt the
Kingdom of Ohfun and the Kingdom of Fandria, the
conflict betwixt the kingdoms of Saine and Ohfun
has emerged in recent years. Since the alliance
betwixt Ohfun and Ramleers is still strong, there
have been moves by the Kingdom of Fandria to form For a while, Cloak helped the king and stabilized the
diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Saine, country, which was in a state of civil unrest at the time.
including unofficial envoys making several trips to For his achievements, Cloak was appointed
Saine. Chancellor of the Kingdom of Phun by the King and
was even put in charge of the country’s political
It was under these circumstances that the Kingdom affairs.
of Lomar made its move. It is impossible to estimate
what the intention was behind Lomar’s decision to But then tragic events began.
bring in the military strategist Lukial. Some see this
fact as a sign of a great war that will shake the Central First, the king of the country suddenly began to enact
Plains region and then the entire Alecrast continent. crazy and evil policies. He raised taxes tenfold and
No one can foresee the future, though. summoned all the young maidens from the city to be
kept as slaves at the royal court.
Heroic Tales ⦿ Cloak the “Great Priest At this time, in fact, the real king had already been
of Darkness” assassinated by Cloak, and in his place was a daemon
summoned by the dark priest from another world.
Once upon a time, when the Kingdom of Phun was Moreover, the queen had been seduced by Cloak’s
still standing, there was a man who sought to rule this charms and became one of his puppets.
kingdom through the teachings of the Dark God.
All of Cloak’s close associates who opposed him
The man’s name was Cloak. People called him the were punished or exiled, which meant that all real
“Great Priest of Darkness” and were terrified of his power resided in his hands. Then the Dark Knights,
deeds. Phun was one of the few kingdoms in Alecrast
that recognized the Dark God equally with the other
Six Major Gods. In the land where the Kingdom of
Phun was founded, the teachings of the Dark God
had been deeply rooted since the time of the Ancient
Kingdom, and it would have been difficult for the
country to rule without acknowledging at least a part
of those teachings.
Given this background, temples of the Dark God
were allowed to exist in the Kingdom of Phun. Of
course, if one violated the law, they would be
charged with a crime, even if they were followers of
the Dark God. Wherefore, the activities of these
followers were never made public.
But then along came a man named Cloak, the
supreme priest of the temple of the Dark God. He
was a man of unbelievably handsome features, as
well as a skilled speaker endowed with a
mysterious charm that captivated all who met
him.
Using his charm as a weapon, Cloak first
ingratiated himself with the queen and then began
to frequent the castle as one of her close
associates. Not long after that, many of her aides
died mysterious deaths, and an unsettling
atmosphere began to grow in the royal castle of Phun.
However, the king of the time did not realize that it
was Cloak’s doing. On the contrary, Cloak’s magic
powers became a source of great comfort to the king,
and he was made a nobleman of Phun.

72
a group of paladins of the Dark God, were organized,
and his control over the Kingdom of Phun was
finally complete.
In the end, the day came when his true goal was
revealed. In the name of the king, Cloak ordered the
capture and slaughter of all the priests and deacons
serving in the temple of the Supreme God.
At the same time, the Dark Knights began their
invasion into Ramleers. The goal was to exterminate
the numerous sorcerers living in Ramleers. But in
the end, this ambition turned out to be fatal for
Cloak.
Ramleers counterattacked with a group of knights,
consisting mainly of magic warriors, and with the
help of the nature worshippers of the Unicorn
73
Woods, they defeated the Dark Knights and won the
battle.
The royal castle of Phun was under siege, and Cloak
was forced to beseech the daemon he had
summoned to take him to safety. The daemon gladly
accepted the summoner’s request. He dragged
Cloak into the safest of worlds, that is, his home
otherwordly realm.
Thus ends the Age of Darkness in the Kingdom of
Phun. However, a power struggle over the next
kingship among the close associates led to a civil war,
and the Kingdom of Phun was steadily moving
toward its destruction.
 Natural History
This is Chaosland, filled with bizarre forms of life.
A Titan who keeps on living eternally imbued with a temporary life...
Dark things coming from the other unseen realms...
Here are the leading characters of legends that still live in our memory.

74
Immortal Golems
Golems are living statues created during the Ancient
Kingdom Period by sorcerers skilled in the ancient
magic system called the magic of enchantment.
According to the literature of the Ancient Kingdom,
the creation of a golem required weeks, months, or
even years of ritual magic. It was the secret art of the
enchanters even in the Ancient Kingdom, and
nowadays the process has been completely lost.
Only spells that give orders unto golems have
reached our days, making it possible to take control
of the few golems that still exist in the ruins of the
Ancient Kingdom. However, many golems have
received some kind of command during the time of
the Ancient Kingdom and are committed to it.
Unless this ancient order is lifted, it is impossible to
bring a golem under one’s control. Golems in a
standby state that have not received any orders are
extremely rare, and a high-ranking sorcerer would be
willing to pay as much silver as the golem’s weight to
acquire one.
Although we speak of golems as a single entity, they
come in a great variety in terms of shapes and
materials they are made from. Materials used in
creating golems can vary from stone, wood, steel, and
porcelain to even animal flesh (including Human
flesh). There are also golems made of precious
metals such as gold, silver, and mithril, as well as
crystals, rubies, diamonds, and other gems. As for
appearance, humanoid form is the most common,
but there are also those that look like beasts, mythical
beasts, magical beasts, and those that are so strangely
shaped that can only be the product of a sorcerer’s
imagination. It seems that in the closing years of the
Ancient Kingdom Period, the enchanters, seeking to
show off their skills, created golems with quite
unique characteristics.
However, this was only the case for highly skilled
enchanters, while the less competent were only able
to create golems of a standard form using a
75
predetermined creation process. Those golems
produced in large numbers are generally known as
the Flesh Golems and the Iron Golems.
Flesh golems are made from the flesh of dead
animals, but since that was the time of the Ancient
Kingdom, the bodies of slaves were probably used as
well. Their flexible bodies allow them to move with
relatively high agility for golems, which are generally
slow-moving.
The iron golems are the slowest of the golems, but
their body’s firmness and vitality rival those of
Dragons and Titans, putting them among the most
fearsome opponents.
In addition, golems are highly resistant to magic.
Sometimes, golems are encountered as enemies in
the ruins of the Ancient Kingdom, but it is safer to
flee if one is not skilled enough to fight them.
There are also statues that have been brought to life
through magic, although the process is slightly
different from that of the golem. The Skeleton
Warrior, made from Dragon teeth, originally a
magical creature, is a typical representative. Other
iconic examples include the Stone Servant, created
from small stones, and the Wood Soldier made
from old trees (especially oak trees, hence it is also
called Oak Golem). They are collectively known as
“puppet golems”.
Golems are artificial life forms originally created
from lifeless objects. Therefore, they have no
lifespan and are destined to live for eternity. They
are steadfastly loyal to the commands of the masters
who created them and blindly strive to fulfill those
orders. Among them, there are golems that were
created but given no orders and thus simply exist
doing nothing.
Golems are immortal beings. But I pity their
existence for they endure eternity sans any freedom.
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“The Strongest, thus the Magnificent” Mythical Beast Dragon
Dragon!
I doubt there is a single person who does not know
this name. Sometimes they are revered as “those
equal to the gods”, and at other times they are feared
as “god-slaying” monsters. Another surprising fact is
that few people know who they really are.
Dragons appear in various forms in myths and
legends of the Alecrast continent. However, myths
and legends have been distorted and adapted as they
have been passed down through the generations, and
they do not seem to tell the absolute truth. For
example, the Dragon in the myth of the Final War
of the Gods is said to be “so big that it covers the sky”,
and the Dragon in the “Saga of Hearshen” about the
Dragon-slayer of the Ancient Kingdom is said to be
“engulfed in flames all over the body”.
However, there are absolutely no sightings of such
Dragons today, nor do any of their corpses remain.
Here let me describe Dragons based on my own
observations, as well as credible reports and books
from sorcerers’ guilds throughout Alecrast.
First of all, Dragons can be divided into two broad
categories: Ancient Dragons, or Drakes, and
ordinary Dragons, called Lesser Dragons.
It seems to be a universal law in this world that the
ancient races are the superior ones. The new races
have lost that ancient powers and their abilities have
diminished, especially with regard to magic. For
example, the Humans of the Ancient Kingdom were
far more gifted in terms of magic than we, the
founders of the New Kingdoms, and the same is true
of High Elves, the superior race of Elves. A similar
rule applies to Dragons. Drakes, who have been
around since the time of the gods, are the equivalent
of a higher race of Dragons. We do not know exactly
how many of them live today. In the world of
Forcelia, there are probably no more than a hundred
of them, and it is unlikely that new ones will be born
in the future.
Drakes have a body length of about the size of a large
sailing ship. Their entire bodies are covered with
hard scales that are difficult even to scratch. Their
heads and tails look like those of snakes, but they
also have horns and spines along their entire
backbone. Some Drakes have body hair. Their
torsos are thick and fleshy, and they also have limbs.
When Drakes move on the ground, they walk on two
legs, wherefore their legs are thick and sturdy. Their
77
arms are thinner than the legs, but they can
manipulate them with great dexterity.
In addition to limbs, drakes have wings on their
backs that are quite small in comparison to their
huge bodies, and at first glance, resemble the wings
of a bat. By just flapping these wings slowly, Drakes
can rise up into the sky. This is nothing short of a
menace, I must say. One scholar reported that it is
impossible for Drakes to lift their bodies using their
wings. Perhaps it is some kind of magic power that
allows them to fly. It is said that Draconic magic
actually exists, so perhaps it is indeed the reason why
such things are possible.
With their poor wings, Drakes fly as fast as eagles
and hawks. On the other hand, they are surprisingly
slow on the ground, probably because of their huge
size. Even Humans seem to be able to escape from
a Drake if they run as fast as they can.
Minor characteristics, such as the color of the scales
and the arrangement of spines, vary from one
individual to another and cannot be clearly identified.
Depending on their body color and habitat, Drakes
are classified into two types: Water Dragons and Fire
Dragons. Drakes carry the spiritual forces of fire
inside their bodies, as evidenced by the fact that they
can breathe fire. There is also a theory that Drakes
can possess spiritual forces other than fire, meaning
that Water Dragons conceal the spiritual forces of
water while Earth Dragons carry the spiritual forces
of earth. Drakes who hold a certain type of spiritual
forces inside their bodies are immune to attacks
powered by these forces. Therefore, Drakes cannot
be injured by fire.
Drakes are far more intelligent than we Humans.
They are proficient in ancient magic and spirit magic,
and some of them are also said to use divine magic.
Drakes’ magic power is generally high and is thought
to even surpass that of skilled magicians.
Not only physical characteristics but also personality
seems to vary from individual to individual. Some
are mild-mannered, while others are ferocious.
Therefore, Drakes are both mythical beasts and
magical beasts. However, when thou thinkest about
it, they are no different from Humans. We Humans
also have different personalities.
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A Drake, naturally, is not an opponent that a Human
can stand against. A blow from its claws, fangs, or tail
can easily kill one. But the most fearsome thing
about Drakes is undoubtedly the flames they breathe
out from their mouths. Their flame is said to be the
hottest of all kinds of fire and can even melt the earth.
No one can survive if directly exposed to these
flames. Fortunately, Drakes do not seem to be
interested in interacting with Humans. They live on
isolated islands, deep in the mountains and forests,
or inside huge caves, and only rarely show
themselves to people.
In recent years, however, the number of Drakes has
decreased, and the superior Dragons of the Lesser
kind, known as Elder Dragons, have come to be
confused with Drakes. It is said that five Drakes live
on the Island of Damned in the south, but scholars
of the continent suspect that most or all of them may
be Elder Dragons instead.
When people usually refer to Dragons, it is safe to
assume that they are referring to the inferior Lesser
Dragons, not even to the Elder kind of them. They
look like Drakes but are only about half as long.
They have low intelligence and are completely
incapable of using magic. To put it simply, Lesser
Dragons are huge wild beasts, living on instinct alone.
However, it must be said that they are extremely
“Full of Mysteries” Titans
Titans are a rare thing to behold. Fortunately for us.
They live in deep forests and steep mountains
secluded from the rest of the world. Wherefore, we
know very little about how they live.
Titans look literally like a large version of us
Humans. However, their body hair is much thicker
than that of Humans, and the word “bristly” is
exactly the right word to describe it. They look a lot
like savages, with only animal skins covering their
hips. Their intelligence is generally low, but some of
them are as sensible as Humans, or even much
smarter.
The Titans can be divided into many different
species. The most representative of them is Giants.
This species is also divided into several subspecies,
depending on where they live, such as Forest Giants,
Hill Giants, and others.
Hill Giants have golden or brownish-red body hair.
They have pale skin and are twice as tall as Humans,
but the largest ones can reach thrice Human height.
79
dangerous beasts. Most of the brave men who
aspired to earn the title of a “Dragon-slayer” have
been killed by their dreadful superhuman strength
and the flames they spit from their mouths.
After living for hundreds of years, Lesser Dragons
reach adulthood and develop a high level of
intelligence. The Dragons that thus acquire higher
intelligence are called Elder Dragons. As mentioned
above, Elder Dragons are often confused with
Drakes, but Drakes are an ancient race that has lived
since the time of the gods, while Elder Dragons are
a new race that emerged in historical times. Elder
Dragons, however, acquire knowledge of magic over
time and are no less dangerous than Drakes.
I warn you. Do not seek the title of a Dragon-slayer.
Keep in mind wherefore King Rijal of Ohfun, who
holds the title of a Dragon-slayer, does not tell the
story of his fight with a Dragon.
Forest Giants are slightly larger than Hill Giants, with
dark brown skin and black body hair.
In terms of personality, Forest Giants are more
aggressive than Hill Giants, and while Hill Giants
rarely attack Humans, Forest Giants will not hesitate
to attack any creature that comes into their sight.
Probably for food.
In fact, Forest Giants are voracious eaters and will
eat almost anything they can get their hands on. It is
said that when hungry, they may even pull small trees
out by the roots and eat them for the remains of
pulled-out trees are often found in the forests where
they live.
The largest and strongest of all the types of Titans is
probably the Cyclops, a one-eyed Titan over five
times taller than a Human being. Although they lead
a relatively peaceful life near the coast, they show no
mercy to those who trespass on their territory. They
are highly intelligent and are rumored to have
80
developed a unique magic system, making them
enemies that no Human can compete with.
Ogres and Trolls, monsters that frequently appear
near Human settlements, are considered to be
inferior Titans. Although their intelligence is low,
their monstrous strength is indeed that of Titans, and
beyond Human capabilities.
The origin of Titans is still shrouded in mystery.
Titans are not inhabitants of other worlds like fairies
and youma. Like Humans, they are a race that
originated in the Material World.
Legend has it that the gods looked like giant Humans.
It is believed that the gods created Humans in the
image of themselves. And Titans are also giant
Humans. Then what is the difference betwixt the
gods and Titans?
Some scholars claim that Titans were inferior only in
their abilities to the gods and may have been of the
same race as them. In other words, they say that
Titans were born at the same time from the
Primordial Titan who was the first being to exist in
this world. And the most superior beings among
those Titans were the “gods”. Indeed, the great
power of the Cyclops, for example, is reminiscent of
the gods. The fact that there is no mythology that tells
of the exploits of Titans in the final war betwixt the
gods of light and darkness is sometimes questioned
Silent Spirits
Spirits are those who control the power that exists in
all creation.
They are too lacking in substance to be called living
creatures and too distinctive to be called a force.
Spirits are inhabitants of a world different from ours.
That world is called the Spirit Realm.
Spirits rule there. Some of them command the laws
of nature, others—the nature of our minds and
emotions. There are even those who control the
movement of life and the existence of immortal
monsters...
Although they are supposed to be familiar to us,
most aspects of their essence are shrouded in
mystery. The same is true for the spirit users who
control them to cast spells.
I have always been struck by the mysterious nature
of spirits.
81
among scholars. This fact, those scholars explain, is
proof that the Giants were identified with the gods.
Indeed, the warriors of the Titan race were probably
the second most powerful beings after Dragons. The
fact that their deeds have never been narrated in
legends makes the hypothesis that they were treated
as equal to the gods sufficiently convincing. Of
course, priests and theologians refuse to accept this
scholars’ theory. But we cannot completely deny it,
either.
In folklore throughout Alecrast, there are stories of
Titans that rival Cyclopes in stature, are extremely
intelligent, and have gentle personalities. The
legends of these “friendly Titans” share many
similarities, which points to the possibility that these
unknown Titans actually exist. If the friendly Titans
are real, they probably correspond to an ancient race
of Titans along with Cyclopes. Then, in the words of
scholars, they must be “what we may call subgods”.
The Titan race holds mysteries that one would never
guess from their sheer size. This fact seems to
symbolize the world of Forcelia, which is much
larger and even more unfathomable than their
physical bodies.
Spirits control the forces of nature that operate in
this world. Representatives of such spirits are the
spirits of the four elements (earth, water, fire, and
wind). The lesser spirits that fall under this category
are Gnomes, Undines, Salamanders, and Sylphs
while the higher ones are Behemoths, Krakens,
Efreets, and Jinns.
Light, darkness, and the like are also manifestations
of natural forces, and again, there are spirits that rule
each of them. Will-o’-wisps and Shades are two such
examples.
Spirits are also involved in the working of the mind.
Sprites and Leprechauns are among the lesser spirits
who belong to this category, while Furies and
Banshees are among the higher spirits. I myself have
been taught more than enough about the
dreadfulness of Banshees in Mara Ajanis’s Capital
located in the Goblin Woods. I ended up losing
many friends because of the Banshee we
encountered in the ruins of that ancient city.
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Yet the most enigmatic of all are the spirits of life.
They are not even known by names, but they are
considered to rule the source of our life activities.
The sanative magic powers of Unicorns and the
healing spells cast by female spirit users are said to
come from the power of these spirits of life. When
somebody tells me that such spirits exist, it makes me
feel as if my life is a borrowed one, which is not a
very pleasant feeling.
According to spirit users, there are even spirits that
control the negative life force of immortal monsters.
Each spirit has its own will and acts like a living
creature. Moreover, spirits have their own
personalities. For example, Gnomes are stubborn
and Sylphs behave uninhibitedly and carefree.
I wonder if spirits have a mind, are there spirits of
mind intervening in the workings of their minds as
well? This is the question for me. Is it possible that a
spirit that controls one source of power can also be
influenced by another power? Another perplexing
matter is the fact that one spirit can be in charge of
multiple powers. For example, the Shade, a spirit of
darkness, also controls the emotion of fear. The
Dryad, a spirit of plants, is also responsible for
feelings of tranquility and fascination. I have been
told that the Spirit Realm is not a single world but is
divided into several different worlds. If so, do spirits
that control more than one power exist in each of
these multiple realms?
Thus, spirits are full of mysteries that cannot be
solved. Suffice it to say that even supreme master
Mana Rai called them unclassifiable. Perhaps there
is naught we can do about it. Spirits are invisible to
our eyes. I thought it would be nice to have the
abilities of a spirit user, but Kenny, who is actually a
spirit user, told me bitterly that spirits are not visible
even to people who have the heart to study them.
Fearsome Daemons
Scholars say that the whole world is divided into the
Three Realms: the Material World, the Fairy Realm,
and the Spirit Realm. However, it is said that there is
another world that does not belong to any of them.
Those who worship the gods believe in the existence
of the Heavenly Realm, where they go after death,
and in the Underworld, where the heretics and
sinners fall.
There is no actual evidence for the existence of the
Heavenly World or the Underworld. However, no
one can deny the existence of the dreaded
83
Sometimes spirits confront us as enemies. These are
spirits that have strayed into the Material World for
some unnatural reasons and have not been able to
return. They are called “mad spirits”. As the word
“mad” implies, they become a kind of embodiment
of the urge to destroy. Mad spirits are formidable
opponents. They cannot be harmed by ordinary
weapons. In addition, they have unlimited access to
spirit magic spells that are powered by the forces they
control.
Take, for example, the Sylph, a spirit of the wind. A
beautiful spirit in the form of an Elven woman with
a flawless translucent body, once she becomes an
enemy, she flies as if she were ripping through the air
and swoops down on you. It is said that when
exposed to Sylph’s attacks, the skin on our bodies
becomes torn to shreds as if cut by a sharp blade.
This surely is a manifestation of the spiritual forces
of wind, but it is apparently a power that cannot be
utilized by spirit users. This shows that the power
possessed by spirits is so advanced that even spirit
users cannot fully master it.
The earth spirits Gnomes, on the other hand, can
move instantly through the ground and one can
never predict where they will emerge from. They use
spiritual forces to block thy moves and then attack
by throwing stones. Their attacks are not powerful,
but since thou canst not move, all thou canst do is
wait for them to slowly kill thee. It would be fair to
say that the mad Gnomes are indeed fearsome
opponents.
Spirit users even consider it a mercy to kill these mad
spirits and return them to their original world.
Whether it is mercy or not, there is no doubt that if
we do not do so, our lives will be in danger.
otherworld called the Daemon Realm. For the
inhabitants of this world—daemons—appear in
Forcelia.
The existence of daemons has long been known not
only to scholars but also to common people. For
example, in myths describing the Wars of the Gods
in ancient times, we find the names of the daemons
as a group of fearsome slayers who followed the dark
god Phalaris.
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In the days of the Ancient Kingdom, sorcerers
skilled in the ancient magic system of conjuration
summoned daemons from the other world,
controlled them, and exploited their power and
wisdom for personal gain. Sometimes, however, they
failed to subdue the daemons, and the daemons ran
riot in this world. Recently, there was an incident on
the Island of Damned in the south where daemons
sealed in the labyrinth of the Ancient Kingdom were
released causing a fierce battle.
The Island of Damned is fairly large and has a rather
significant population. The inhabitants of the island
are seasoned warriors and possess outstanding
military and magic power. The fact that the island
has been driven to the brink of destruction shows the
terrifying power of daemons.
In addition, the ruins of the Ancient Kingdom are
said to still be guarded by the daemons summoned
in those ancient days to protect treasures lying there.
There are so many different types of daemons that it
is impossible to describe them in a few words. In
general, daemons have Human bodies with horns,
wings, tails, and spikes. One of the most frequently
reported daemons is the one called Zalbad. This
daemon seems to have been derived from the
Gargoyle, and his appearance is almost identical to
that of the latter. However, Zalbads’ skin is fiery red,
and their eyes are also bright red, glowing
suspiciously. They can breathe fire from their
mouths and will attack with those flames and sharp
claws on their hands.
The daemon Grunel has bronze skin, deep navy
blue eyes, and a long tail. They can move their tail
freely using it as a whip or wrapping it around the
body of an opponent. Their claws are not so well
developed so they attack holding weapons in both
hands.
The daemons that belong to the type called
Ragnakang have extremely long necks, and the heads
85
on the end of them are more like that of a Dragon
than a Human. The wings on their back are also
huge, and they seem to fly quite fast. Their claws are
very sharp making them a weapon of choice together
with their fangs. Ragnakangs are aggressive and
dangerous enemies.
All of the above daemons are formidable opponents,
but they are still only the inferior ones. It is said that
the higher daemons boast strength rivaling that of
Dragons and Titans and that a single one of them is
strong enough to destroy an entire city. Were they
able to travel freely betwixt the Daemon Realm and
this world, they would probably have become the
rulers of this world.
No one knows what kind of world the Daemon
Realm is.
Teacher Mana Rai of Oran thinks that the Material
World is not a single entity, but that there are
multiple parallel worlds, and that the Daemon
Realm may be one of them. He says that there are
descriptions in the books left by the conjurers of the
Ancient Kingdom Period indicating that this may be
so.
I wanted to see those books, but he refused to show
them to me, saying that he could not reveal them to
others because they contained all kinds of forbidden
ritual spells. In fact, I could imagine what sort of
ritual spells were in the books. They probably had
the power to summon daemons from the other
worlds. And if these spells were used by the heedless,
the gruesome war that took place on the Island of
Damned could be repeated on the Alecrast
continent.
As a side note, the Efreet, the “daemon of fire”, is
called so only because they resemble one, but they
have naught to do with daemons at all.
The Immortals
It is believed that when a living being dies, their soul
becomes separated from the body. The soul departs
for the Afterlife World. The body decays and
perishes in this world. This is the natural order of
things.
However, there are those who do not obey this rule.
These monsters do not cease to exist in this world
even after death. They are called the undead.
The source of the undead’s activity is believed to be
the negative life force. Just as the nameless spirits of
life rule our lives, it is said that there are also spirits
who rule the negative life force of the undead. Of
course, the spirits of immortality, like the spirits of
life, have no known names. No one has ever seen
what they look like. All that is known is that the aura
emitted by the undead glows with a yellowish light.
Undead come into being through unnatural means.
There are several possible ways. The inferior
undead, such as Skeletons and Zombies, are created
by spells belonging to an ancient magic system called
necromancy. The followers of the Goddess of
Destruction are also said to create the lesser undead
by means of dark magic spells. These lesser undead
have no will, but only follow their creator’s
commands.
The higher undead are sorcerers and dark priests
who cast a spell (curse) on their bodies and souls and
were reborn as undead. The higher undead retain
the same will and magic power as while they were
alive. And in exchange for the loss of life, they also
acquire some abominable abilities. At the same time,
however, they also bear the weaknesses that come
with being undead.
Among undead, the most feared is the one known as
the “Undying King”. A spell of the same name seems
to exist among the ultimate secret techniques of
necromancy. Although it is called a spell, it is a kind
of ritual magic, and after the completion of this ritual,
the caster must abandon their very life. If the spell is
successful, the sorcerer is reborn as the Undying
King and gains eternal (negative) life. If it fails, both
life and soul are said to perish.
Even among the great necromancers of the Ancient
Kingdom Period, there were only a few who
attempted to become Undying Kings. After the fall
of the Ancient Kingdom, no one has ever attempted
to perform this spell. Wherefore, Undying Kings
that exist on the Alecrast continent are all sorcerers
of the Ancient Kingdom.
Undying kings retain the same appearance as when
they were alive. Their eyes are burning red, and their
skin is eerily blue and bloodless. They have a
powerful regenerative ability, and their gazes possess
a magic power capable of paralyzing those who look
upon them. What is more, it is said that whosoever
is touched by this immortal monster will have their
very soul sucked out of them. When a soul is
completely drained out of the body, the poor victim
is turned into the Vampire, a follower of the Undying
King.
Perhaps the most horrifying aspect of Undying Kings
is that they need Human lives to sustain their
existence. Since they need living Humans, these
monsters cannot be independent of us. Like many
magical beasts, they cannot live in the wilderness
where no man dares to enter: they need to live near
Human settlements and hunt their prey. But
Undying Kings are wise and do not make their
presence easily noticed. Even among scholars, there
are those who deny their existence.
But Undying Kings definitely exist.
For there are, in fact, those who have faced and
fought against an Undying King. They are the
“Finders”, the renowned adventurers who live in
Oran. Moreover, it was only a few years ago. They
had to confront this supreme undead in a battle for
a magical device from the Ancient Kingdom that
threatened the Kingdom of Oran. I heard that even
the “Finders”, who were believed to be invincible,
had a tough time fighting an Undying King.
Fortunately, the “Finders” succeeded in defeating
that monster. They warn, however, that it was not the
last one of them. Somewhere in the murky depths of
Alecrast, Undying Kings continue to exist seeking
the next victim. No one can guarantee that it will not
be us.
86
87
The Evil Fairies
There are monsters called youma. by Ogres, also known as cannibalistic daemons.
Even if ye find a mysterious settlement deep in the
They are evil fairies represented by Dark Elves and forest, never approach it. Humans have their own
others. Although they are residents of the Fairy lands and youma have theirs. As long as they do not
Realm, such as Elves and Dwarves, they were
violate each other’s territory, there should never be
summoned to the Material World by the gods of a battle betwixt the two.
darkness during the War of the Gods. There they
engaged in fierce battles with the races of light.
The gods were destroyed, thus the youma and fairies
summoned to this world had no way to return to
their homeland. As inhabitants of the Material
World, they were forced to live through the Age of
Darkness following the War of the Gods.
The harshness of the situation was unimaginable. To
evil fairies, called “youma” and abhorred everywhere,
all the races around them were their enemies.
This is probably why. The unity of youma is
surprisingly solid. They even live in groups
regardless of their differences in species. However,
the relationships betwixt races are not equal, and
there is a strict class system.
At the top of youma’s hierarchy are Dark Elves. As
their name implies, they belong to Elves, a race of
forest fairies. Perhaps they responded to the
summoning of the Dark God because they were in
charge of the dark part of forests. Dark Elves look
much the same as Elves, but they can be
distinguished by their slightly darker skin. Dark
Elves are all users of spirit magic, and some are dark
priests versed in dark magic. This fact is surprising,
considering that Elves do not worship any of the gods.
They live in groups of ten to several dozen deep in
large forests.
As mentioned above, it is not uncommon for other
youma to live together with Dark Elves in their
settlements. These are, for example, Goblins,
Hobgoblins, Kobolds, and other earth youma. And,
although they are not youma, Ogres, the lesser
members of the Titan race, can also be seen in the
Dark Elf settlements.
As for the hierarchy of youma, they are ranked in the
following order: Dark Elves at the top, Hobgoblins,
Goblins, and Kobolds. The basis for this hierarchy
is pretty straightforward: how many beings of light
they can kill.
The fate of those who wander into the villages of
youma is already decided. Either they will be
mangled and thrown away or gnawed off their heads

88
89
 Appendix
Those who carry the fragments of ancient miracles to these days...
A race, prouder than any other refusing
to control others or to be controlled by others...
Moved by ideals, people unite to build their dreams.

90
This chapter provides an overview of the various
topics regarding the Forcelia world, which includes
the Alecrast continent. It answers universal questions
like what kind of gods exist, what the world looks
like, and so on.
Since Forcelia is a fictional world, naturally, it is,
based on laws that are completely different from
those of the real world. Scholars and priests of
various gods in Forcelia have different theories about
the aforementioned topics, based on ancient myths
and legends, their own research, and knowledge
1. The World View
The people living on the Alecrast continent perceive
their world as follows. Mostly, their beliefs are based
on myths and legends as they are, but they also
include some facts that have only recently been
discovered through the work of a few motivated
scholars.
1.1. The World
The Alecrast continent is just a part of the world.
The entire world, which includes the continent of
Alecrast, is largely referred to as Forcelia. For
people, the word “Forcelia” means the same as “the
world”. Because they believe that their world is one
and only, unique and inimitable. The existence of
other realms, especially the Material World that is
parallel to their own, is also recognized by some
scholars, but this fact is still not accepted by the
general public.
The Forcelia world is considered to be flat, and not
spherical, that is, a giant square. The four vertices of
this square face east, west, south, and north each.
And each of the four vertices has a gate that closes
off the world.
The legend goes as follows.
There is the Gate of Ice in the north. Beyond the
Sea of Ice, the world is closed with an iceberg of
infinite height.
To the south is the Gate of Fire. Across the Boiling
Sea, the world is sealed by burning flames.
To the east is the Gate of Wind. Beyond the Stormy
Sea, the world is shut by a raging storm.
To the west is the Gate of Water. The land beyond
the Sea of Running Water becomes a waterfall and
crashes into the World of Nothingness.
91
recorded in ancient books and other sources.
Whether these theories are true or not does not
matter. We want you to understand the worldview of
the people of Forcelia. There are many
contradictory statements and almost no facts that are
scientifically justified. Nevertheless, Forcelia is a
world where gods and magic are real. Please read the
descriptions in this chapter only as laws of an
imaginary world divorced from reality.
The four seas spreading out from the gates are called
the “Sealing Seas” and are believed to extend along
the sides of the tetragon and mix with each other.
Humans born in the Material World cannot cross
these Sealing Seas. Some people believe that the
Gate of Ice is actually the Gate of Earth because it is
natural to assume that the world is sealed by the
spiritual forces of the four elements.
The continent of Alecrast is considered to be located
quite far to the north in the world of Forcelia. This
is because a sea resembling the end of the Sea of Ice
exists along the coast of the Northern Central Plains.
This is probably the reason why this ice-clogged sea
is also called the Sea of Ice.
1.2. The Sun, Moon, and Stars
In the world of Forcelia, there is one sun, one moon,
and countless stars in the sky. The sun is ruled by the
supreme god Pharis, and some say that the sun is the
lost body of Pharis himself. The moon is controlled
by Pharis’s younger brother, Fenes, the god of cycles,
and casts light into the night. The stars are the
shining forces and substances that were left
undifferentiated at the creation of the world, some
say, and others claim that they are the shattered
bodies of the gods.
The place where the sun, stars, and moon reside is
called the “Star Realm”. It is believed that the world
of Forcelia floats within this Star Realm.
1.3. Climate
In the world of Forcelia, the climate is inseparable
from the spiritual forces. These spiritual forces do
not include the spirits of mind, but rather the spirits
that control nature.

The Alecrast continent, on the whole, tends to be
colder in the north and warmer in the south. People
believe this is due to the presence of the Gate of Ice
in the north of the world and the Gate of Fire in the
south.
There are seasons, too. The year is roughly divided
into four seasons. The first season of the year is the
coldest when the spiritual forces of ice are powerful.
It is winter. Before long, the spiritual forces of water
grow strong, and spring arrives with its continuous
rains. Then comes hot summer, when the spiritual
forces of fire thrive, followed by autumn when strong
winds prevail.
2. Other Worlds
The world of Forcelia consists of the three “realms”:
the Material World, the Fairy Realm, and the Spirit
Realm. “Another world” (in singular) and “other
worlds” (in plural) are general terms for worlds that
are different from what one lives in. Therefore, for
people living in the Material World, the Fairy Realm
and the Spirit Realm are “other worlds”. From the
point of view of fairies and spirits, the Material
World is “another world”.
This section describes the “realms” that make up the
world of Forcelia. A “realm” is commonly referred
However, some regions are covered with snow and
ice all year round, while other places have hot
weather every day of the year.
1.4 Calendar and time
The concept of time in the world of Forcelia is
explained as follows. The gods wanted to make the
world eternal. For this purpose, time was
unnecessary. However, before the world was
completed, the gods fought with each other and lost
their bodies. For this reason, of the four gates that
were supposed to seal the world, the Gate of Water
in the far west was the only one that remained
unclosed. Thus, seawater still flows down through
this open gate, and so does everything that makes up
the world. This is what gives birth to time. In other
words, the world of Forcelia itself is a giant water
clock. The apocalyptic myth that the entire world will
eventually flow down from the Gate of Water into
the World of Nothingness is widely believed and
feared.
Since there is time, there is also a calendar. The
calendar currently in use on the Alecrast continent is
called the “New Kingdom Calendar”.
The first year of this New Kingdom Calendar is the
year of the fall of the Kingdom of Kastool, also
known as the “Magical Kingdom” and the “Ancient
Kingdom”; 520 years have already passed.
According to this New Kingdom Calendar, the year
is 360 days long and is divided into 12 months. This
is also the number of days it takes for the moon to
wax and wane. A month consists of 30 days. A day is
considered to be divided into 24 hours, and an hour
is further divided into 60 minutes. No smaller unit of
time is commonly used on the Alecrast continent.
Consider the unit of “minute” the same as in the real
world. In the game rules and adventure scenarios
seconds are also used.
to as a “world”. In other words, the “world” can be
used in two ways: in a broad sense and a narrow
sense.
2.1. Summoning and Dismissing
In Forcelia, one of the unyielding laws is that all
creatures, fairies, and spirits are bound to the world
in which they live and cannot travel to other worlds
on their own. However, this limitation does not
apply if they are summoned from other worlds.
92
Spirits are often summoned to the Material World
by spirit users.
Those summoned to another world cannot return to
their original world unless they are sent back by the
summoner (this is called “dismissing”) or are
destroyed to the point of losing their existence (i.e.,
“death”). Some of them even end up being bound to
other worlds and become inhabitants of those
worlds. For example, many Dwarves, Elves,
Grassrunners, and other fairies living in the Material
World are already bound to it. In such cases, they
can no longer return to their original world. The
world they live in now becomes their home.

2.2. Parallel Worlds

It was mentioned that the world of Forcelia is divided
into the Three Realms: the Material World, the
Fairy Realm, and the Spirit Realm, but each of these
worlds is not actually a single entity. For example, in
the Spirit Realm, there is one world for each kind of
spiritual forces, like the Spirit Realm of Fire and the
Spirit Realm of Earth. Since there are many worlds
existing simultaneously in the same hierarchy they
are often referred to as “parallel worlds”.
For example, the Spirit Realm of Earth is a parallel
world to the Spirit Realm of Fire. Of course, the
same applies to the Spirit Realm of Water and the
Spirit Realm of Wind.
Like the Spirit Realm, the Fairy Realm also has many
parallel worlds, such as the Earth Fairy Realm and
the Water Fairy Realm. The Material World is
where Humans live, and for a long time, Humans
thought that there was only one material world. But simply the “Material World”, but rather the
recently, scholars have begun to believe that there “Human Realm”.
are many material worlds. Worlds that exist in parallel to the Human Realm,
For example, some people claim that the world such as the Daemon Realm and the Dream Realm,
inhabited by daemons (called the “Daemon Realm”) are also called other worlds. Of course, the
can only be thought of as a material world different aforementioned laws of summoning also apply
from the world in which we Humans live and that there.
the chaotic world called the “Dream Realm” is the
same. If this is true, it is almost certain that the gods
2.3. The Afterlife World
influence all material worlds. The inhabitants of the Some claim that besides the Three Realms (the
Daemon Realm are all followers of the dark god Material World, the Fairy Realm, and the Spirit
Phalaris. The priests of the supreme god Pharis Realm) there are other worlds such as the
teach that there is a world inhabited by angels (the Underworld, the Star Realm, and the World of
Heavenly Realm), so the angels must surely be Nothingness. The Underworld is believed to be the
obedient followers of Pharis. Humans believe in all world where one goes after death. Different religious
gods, but the Six Major Gods have an especially schools have different explanations of what kind of
strong influence. For this reason, in recent years place it is. For example, for the followers of Pharis,
some sages have been increasingly insisting that the the aforementioned Heavenly Realm is the
world in which people live should not be called Underworld. The Star Realm is the world where the

93
moon, stars, and sun exist and is also said to be the
place where the gods reside. The world of Forcelia
is thought to float within this Star Realm. The World
of Nothingness is a world where nothing exists and is
often equated with the Underworld and the Star
Realm. According to the teachings of Cardis, the
goddess of destruction, it is to the World of
3. People’s Life
The continent of Alecrast is home to nearly 10
million inhabitants. They include not only Humans
dwelling in towns and villages but also savages living
in the wilderness and species other than Humans
(nonhumans). This section describes the life of the
continent’s inhabitants. The descriptions given here
are only an outline of typical norms, and there may
be some differences depending on the kingdom and
the place where one lives.
3.1. Coins and Gemstones
The standard currency on the Alecrast continent is
the silver coin. Thanks to the efforts of Count Gamel,
these silver coins are recognized throughout the
entire continent. Silver coins are small in size (think
of them as slightly smaller than a one-yen coin).
However, when hundreds or even thousands of
coins are collected together, their weight becomes
ridiculously heavy. For this reason, precious stones
that have been used for ages as a higher currency are
still in circulation. Gems used as currency are of a
certain size and shape, and as long as they are
genuine, their quality has no bearing on their value.
Each type of precious stone has a specific worth. A
piece of obsidian might be worth 10 silver coins,
amethyst—50 silver coins, and a diamond—about
10,000 silver coins. We do not specify the value of
each gemstone. Game masters can decide at their
own convenience.
3.2. Length and Weight
There is no common unit of length or weight on the
Alecrast continent. However, merchants have
established standards for measuring length and
weight according to their needs. For example, it is
common to measure an item using one’s own body
as a standard, such as the length of two outstretched
hands or the length of the palm of one’s hand. But
other measuring instruments such as rulers,
measuring boxes, and balance scales have also been
invented to serve as a common reference. There are
also units of length and weight called by these
measuring instruments, but they are not unified
Nothingness that all beings go after death. On the
other hand, many people believe that after death one
becomes a star, thus the Underworld, the Star
Realm, and the World of Nothingness all have one
thing in common: they are all considered to be the
Afterlife World.
throughout the whole continent. To avoid
confusion, the game rules and adventure scenarios
use real-world units of length and weight, such as
meters and grams. However, it is important to
understand that the people of Alecrast measure
length and weight in their own way, though we do not
describe it here.
3.3. Village Life
Although there are some differences depending on
a kingdom, on the Alecrast continent, a village is a
settlement with a population of up to about 1,000
residents, where people engaged in primary
industries live together. Therefore, the character of
a village is determined by its location, whether it is a
farming village, fishing village, or mountain village.
The most common type of village is a farming village.
Villagers pay a certain percentage of their harvest as
tax to their feudal lords. Lords keep a share of the
collected taxes for themselves and transport the rest
to the royal capital. Lately, it has become more
common to convert everything into silver coins or
gemstones before paying the tax.
A feudal lord is the absolute ruler of a village. He is
also in charge of maintaining public order, court
proceedings, tax collection, etc. In villages without a
lord, a village headman is elected to serve in place of
the lord. As a rule, tax collectors, officers of the
court, and inspectors from the kingdom come to
solve problems that are beyond the village
headman’s control.
3.4. City Life
A town is a settlement with more than 1,000
inhabitants and developed commerce and industry.
A town becomes a city when it has more than 10,000
inhabitants. At 30,000, it is a metropolis. The largest
city on the continent is Oran, the royal capital of the
kingdom of the same name, with a population of
100,000. People living in towns and cities are
engaged in the trade and manufacturing industry,
and the monetary economy permeates their daily
94
lives. The industry is mainly simple handicrafts, with
professional associations called guilds and a strict
apprenticeship system. Commerce has developed
greatly with the penetration of money. The basic idea
is to buy products from artisans and sell them to
customers via one’s own retail outlets. In some cases,
merchants travel to other countries to purchase
goods. The scale of commerce varies from wealthy
merchants with several large stores to those who sell
their wares on the streets.
Every town has its feudal lord. A lord is given
considerable autonomy by the king and governs his
city as he sees fit. The lord of a city may also be called
the governor. The feudal lord collects taxes from the
city residents in money and pays a percentage of the
taxes to the king. Of course, maintaining public
order and court proceedings are also the job of the
lord. Since cities have a large population, this work
is divided among those under his command. Some
of the lords who rule cities have their own orders of
knighthood. Most of them are nobles with titles, and
their authority is immense. The titles are divided into
five grades: duke, marquis, count, viscount, and
baron.
areas scattered all over the continent. They usually
3.5. Life of Travelers live in groups of about 100 people. However, there
On the continent of Alecrast, some people do not are also savage tribes with more than 1000 members.
have a specific dwelling but live wandering from Some savages live in settlements, others roam. Since
place to place. Peddlers, minstrels, and adventurers they are not residents of kingdoms, they do not pay
are typical examples of such wanderers. For this taxes. What they do for a living varies from tribe to
reason, there are inns in towns and villages located tribe. Nevertheless, their means of livelihood are
along the main roads. Travelers are charged certain limited to farming, nomadism, and hunting, and they
tolls when they pass through the frontier or enter the rarely engage in commerce or industry. When
gates of a town or village. necessary they create with their own hands or steal
Walking along the main road is not so dangerous, from others things they need for their daily lives.
but if you take even a single step away from the route, However, it looks like sometimes peddlers visit
villages of savages and trade with them.
you will find yourself in a perilous wilderness where
monsters abound. In addition, there is no shortage 3.7. Life of Nonhumans
of brigands appearing on the roads. If you are
unwilling to pay tolls and try to take side roads, you Nonhumans are races other than Humans that live
must be prepared to run the risk of encountering on the Alecrast continent. Among them are those
them. who interact with Humans and live a civilized life to
some extent. For example, Elves, Dwarves,
3.6. Life of Savage Tribes Grassrunner, and other fairies are typical
The savages are people who live far from the representatives of nonhumans. Centaurs and
kingdoms’ territories and other civilized areas that Lizardmen are also sometimes considered to be one
exist throughout the Alecrast continent. They have of them. Their lifestyle varies depending on their
their own language and continue to follow their race. Many of them seem to live a life similar to that
ancient customs. Savages can still be found in remote of the savage tribes.

95
4. The Gods of Alecrast
Nearly one hundred deities are worshipped on the
continent of Alecrast. Among them, the Six Major
Gods, starting with the supreme god Pharis, are the
most widely revered deities. This section describes
the main gods believed in on the continent and their
doctrines.
4.1. The Six Major Gods
The Six Major Gods are Pharis, the supreme god,
Rada, the god of knowledge, Cha-Za, the god of
fortune, Mylee, the god of war, Marfa, the mother-
goddess of the earth, and Phalaris, the dark god.
Legend has it that at the time of their birth, these six
deities were predestined to be kings of all the gods.
Among them, the supreme god, Pharis, is also called
the “Chief God” and has the largest number of
followers. On the other hand, the followers of the
Dark God are few, and no one publicly declares to
be so.
These Six Major Gods preach a certain way of life
for Human beings. Their followers are present on
the continent of Alecrast and follow their teachings
as a code to live by. Except for Phalaris, the dark god,
temples to the Six Major Gods can be found in
various parts of the continent. Every large city has
temples, and even small towns and villages have one
or more. Even if there are no temples, there are
often priests and deacons who spread the teachings
of their god from their homes or squares.
like Wehner, the god of minstrels, and Ganerd, the
god of thieves.
4.4. Local Gods
These deities are worshipped only in particular
regions and often rule over certain mountains, lakes,
and the like. For example, a god of the same name
who is said to have created the Yasgarn Mountains
appears in the legends of the savage tribes living in
the northern part of these mountains and along the
shores of the Sea of Ice. Naturally, there are no local
gods in the Desert of Empty, Lake Mead, or other
landforms that were created after the beginning of
historical times. In addition, the Six Major Gods and
other deities may be called differently in different
regions, and are often confused with local gods. For
example, the sun god worshipped on Eastend Island
is thought to be the supreme god, Pharis, himself.
4.5. Faiths and Doctrines
Below is a summary of the main deities and their
doctrines.

4.2. Evil Gods

Evil gods are the gods of darkness who sided with the
dark god Phalaris in the Age of Mythology. Since the
majority of people believe in the gods of light, not
many individuals worship the evil gods, and no
temples to them are openly built either. The
followers of the evil gods are like a secret society,
communicating covertly with other believers of the
same faith. This is because if their secrets become
public, they are almost certain to be persecuted.

4.3. Gods of Professions

Gods of professions represent deities who are
especially worshipped among those engaged in a
certain kind of work. In most cases, the gods who
govern things related to that occupation began to be
considered the gods of professions since the
beginning of historical times. A typical example may
be the god of blacksmithing, Braki. There are others

96
Pharis
Pharis is called the supreme god and is also regarded
as the sun god. He has the largest number of
followers on the Alecrast continent and is considered
the chief god among the Six Major Gods. He stands
for equality and justice of the light and prohibits all
acts of evil. He also presides over law and judgment,
and his ardent followers sometimes punish those
they deem wicked. In the War of the Gods, he
fought against the gods of darkness as the leader of
the gods of light.
In the religious community of Pharis, believers are
taught that after death they will be reborn in the
Heavenly Realm, where angels dwell, and they will
live in happiness for all eternity. Others who fail to
uphold Pharis’s ideals of justice are reincarnated in
Hell, which is often equated with the Daemon
Realm.
Phalaris
Phalaris is the dark god, who rules the night and
preaches that equality is achieved through total
freedom. He is sometimes regarded as the two-faced
god with Pharis being his other form. In the War of
the Gods, he fought against the gods of light as the
leader of the gods of darkness. The followers of
Phalaris are justified in all their desires, as expressed
in words: “Do what you will.” Because of this
doctrine of self-centeredness, which disregards the
existence of others, and because he is the one who
started the War of the Gods, he is abhorred by many
and his followers are not numerous. The religious
community of Phalaris teaches that the Afterlife
World is the World of Nothingness, and therefore
emphasizes the importance of enjoying the pleasures
of this life. On the Alecrast continent, only the
Kingdom of Fandria has officially recognized
temples of this god.
Marfa
Marfa is widely worshipped throughout Alecrast as
the mother-goddess of the earth and the goddess of
fertility. She is also the goddess of childbearing, the
patron of marriage, the goddess of creation, the
goddess of love and healing, and has many other
embodiments. For those who are engaged in
agriculture or hunting, she may also be called the
goddess of the profession. The basis of Marfa’s
teachings is “nature as a Human being”. According
to this doctrine, also known as the Law of the Earth,
the most important thing is to live in harmony with
nature, to give birth to children, and raise them.
Since many doctrines of the goddess are inimical to
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the rulers, such as the negative attitude toward
domination over others and the positive view of
fighting for self-defense, in some cases, the faith is
forbidden by royal decrees. Marfa’s teachings also
say that after death, one is to be reborn in this world.
Mylee
Mylee is the patron god of war. The fundamental
concept of his doctrine is that life is a constant
struggle and that one must have the courage to fight
for it. It is not surprising that there are many of his
followers among warriors, but his teachings are not
directed only at those who fight on the battlefield.
They teach to be brave, to never run away from a just
fight, and so forth, but the priests and deacons of this
community are more eager to live according to this
doctrine themselves than to spread it to others. It is
said that after death, believers go to the Underworld,
called the Plain of Delight, where eternal battles and
feasts are held over and over again.
Rada
Rada is the god of knowledge, who presides over
invention and truth. He has many followers among
scholars and sorcerers. Central to the doctrine of
Rada is the respect for reason and the strict
prohibition of barbaric acts. His teachings state that
after death, one goes to join Rada, the king of the
Star Realm, to become a star of unseen truth, and
continuously observe the course of the world.
Cha-Za
Originally, Cha-Za is the god of fortune. However,
since he presides over interaction and encourages
fellowship with others, at some point he came to be
regarded as the patron god of commerce. Most of
Cha-Za’s followers are merchants, but in cities with a
developed monetary economy, many other residents
also worship him. It is believed that after death,
devout adherents are invited to the Island of Bliss,
where Cha-Za is said to reside, and where they can
enjoy a life of eternal happiness.
Braki
Braki is known as the god of blacksmithing.
However, it seems that he was originally the god of
volcanoes. He has become revered as the god of
blacksmithing because he has taught people that if
you heat a stone, it melts like water. Mineworkers
often worship Braki as well. Among Dwarves, he is
even considered to be the chief god. Braki’s
followers believe that after death, one goes to the
Underworld, located in the bowels of the earth.
Wehner
Wehner is the god of the arts and also the god of
minstrels. He is also considered to be the chronicler
of history, and thus the god of fate. Although he is
not a powerful deity, he is widely worshipped among
the masses.
Ganerd
Although Ganerd is considered the god of thieves,
he was originally the god of artisans and has followers
among craftsmen as well. He is also regarded as the
god of gambling because of his ability to bring
unexpected riches. Temples of Ganerd can
sometimes be found in big cities, but he is far from
being a powerful god. His followers do not preach
any clear doctrine about the Afterlife World. His
faith focuses on the benefits of this life.
Cardis
Cardis is feared as the goddess of destruction, the
goddess of the undead, and the goddess of the
apocalypse. The devotees seemingly believe that
without ruination there can be no new beginning,
thus they consider destruction and massacre to be
their mission. Because of the nature of the faith,
there are no temples, but the doctrine has been
Kings and Castles
There are a number of kingdoms on the Alecrast
continent. Big or small, strong or weak, rich or
poor—the size and character of the kingdoms vary, of
course. But those who rule the kingdoms are almost
always the king and his vassals: the nobles and
knights.
The castle is the residence of the king, and at the
same time, it is the place where the governance of
the country takes place. In some cases, castles are not
owned by kings but by nobles, therefore, the castles
where kings live are specifically called “royal castles”
to distinguish them from other ones.
In order to be prepared for an attack, castles are
fortified with moats and high solid ramparts. At the
same time, castles are designed to facilitate attacks
from the inside, thus it is common knowledge in
Forcelia that “five times the strength is needed to
attack a castle”. In reality, however, this common
practice is often violated. For example, Lukial, the
famous military strategist of Plysis, the kingdom in
the Northeast of Alecrast, repulsed many attacks by
the neighboring kingdom of Lodorille, which
mobilized more than ten times as many troops.
Conversely, in the Saga of the Founding of the
passed down through the ages, and the followers still
exist.
The Nameless God of Madness
This deity is the god of madness. Due to his madness,
his name has never been determined. It is believed
that he makes people go insane in the Star Realm
and that those who are exposed to the light emitted
by him on a full-moon night will lose their minds.
His followers are few and no temples exist. The
priests of this religious community teach that
madness releases the believers from shackles and
gives them freedom. He is also considered the god
of the arts and invention, and occasionally some
artists and scholars become his followers.
Fenes
Fenes, the god of the moon, is considered to be the
divinity that rules the cycles. During the War of the
Gods, he did not follow even his brother, Pharis, and
chose to be the king of the neutral gods. On the
continent of Alecrast, his faith is not widespread, and
some say that he is either the true form of the
Nameless God of Madness or the god of werewolves
and other lycanthropes.
Western City-State of Referl, it is said that Mavarro
III, the “Inept King”, lost his castle due to an army
only one-third as large as that of the founder king of
Referl.
Castles are not completely the same in terms of their
architectural structure, although they do share some
common features. Here, we will explain the basic
structure of castles, using “Cedar”, the royal castle of
the Kingdom of Ohfun, as an example.
Cedar Castle is built on the top of a hill called the
Heroes’ Hill and is surrounded by a moat. The
ramparts are about 1 meter thick, but the upper part
is about 2 meters wide and has barriers to prevent
anyone from climbing up from the outside. In
addition, 10 watchtowers have been built on the
ramparts, each of which is manned by a sentinel at
all times. There are passageways between the
watchtowers; the sentinels move back and forth
between the towers, keeping a close watch on the
perimeter of the castle to prevent intruders from
entering. In times of war, they are used as a base
from which to attack the enemy. Therefore, large
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weapons such as fixed catapults and crossbows are
positioned in several places. Three of the
watchtowers are much higher than the others; they
are called “lookout towers” and are designed to
detect the enemy from a distance.
Inside the ramparts is a large bailey, the central part
of which is raised; the castle itself is built on top of
that part. Cedar Castle is a four-story structure with
three floors above ground and one below; each floor
is connected by several spiral staircases. The top
floor houses the Council Chamber, where all
important matters of the kingdom are decided. The
private rooms of the King and his family are also
located on this floor, as are the guardrooms of the
Kingsguard, who protect and escort members of the
royal family. Naturally, ordinary people are rarely
allowed to enter this floor.
The second floor is reserved for the close aides, who the kingdom. On this floor, there is also the Prayer
share the King’s duties and administer the affairs of Room and the private chambers of the courtier

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priests. In the case of Ohfun, the god Mylee is
worshipped in this Prayer Room, and the priests who
serve him spend time there. The teachings of Mylee
have been established as the state religion by the
King’s declaration, which is not surprising
considering that the supreme priestess of the temples
of Mylee in this region — Jenny the Princess of the
Sword — has been a companion of Rijal since his
adventuring days. The kitchen, water tank, and other
rooms necessary for daily life are also located on this
floor. The second floor also houses a dining room,
as well as, the Banquet Hall.
The first floor features the Audience Hall and two
guardrooms for sentinels. The Hall of Justice, where
trials are held, is also located on this floor. In Ohfun,
it is rare for King Rijal to dispense justice personally.
There are specialized judges who decide the severity
of crimes.
Temples
The gods are the great beings who were born from
the Primordial Titan god and created the Three
Realms of Forcelia. However, at the end of the Age
of Mythology, during the Final War between the
gods of light and darkness, the god-slaying Dragons
burned their bodies, thus they lost the means to
intervene in the world. However, the immortal gods
still exist in the world, and their great power has been
inherited by the priests in the form of divine magic.
The doctrines of the gods, handed down in various
religious communities, have become a source of
comfort for many people.
The basement floor is used as a storehouse for food
and wine barrels; there are also rooms for torture
and dungeons built here. The dungeons of Cedar
Castle are particularly large: more than a hundred
criminals can be imprisoned there. Some of the
prisoners charged with minor crimes may stay here
for a day, while others whose crimes are much more
serious are held for the rest of their lives. Those who
attempt to escape are condemned to death. The
private chambers of the court sorcerer, Karves the
Great, are also on this floor, and his laboratory is
located next to them. In addition, it is rumored that
under the basement floor, there is an escape route
out of the castle and a secret underground labyrinth
built by Karves the Great, although it is not clear
whether these rumors are true or not.
The most sacred places for the gods and their
followers are the temples built throughout the world.
1. The Temples of Pharis in Anoth
Faith is not about form, but spirituality, say all the
most eminent priests, for the gods exist and their
miracles are recreated in the form of magic. The
depth of one’s faith can easily be seen by the degree
of sophistication of the divine magic one is able to
use.
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However, as people’s lives improve, it becomes
necessary for faith to appeal to the masses. In
particular, the temples of Pharis, the supreme god,
require believers to abide by strict precepts since he
is the god who presides over the law. Naturally, the
rituals performed in the temples have also become
more formalized. For this reason, in recent years
there has been a tendency among the followers of
Pharis to place too much emphasis on the formality
of the precepts and rituals while neglecting their faith
in the god.
However, Pharis is also the most widely believed in
by the general public, perhaps because it is
convenient for people to think that they can be saved
if they just follow the precepts. This is also because,
in the mythology of Forcelia, Pharis is considered to
be the chief god. However, myths cannot be taken
for granted, since their contents can differ
considerably depending on the god or place of
worship.
Whether or not Pharis is the chief god, temples to
him are found throughout Alecrast. They almost
always exist in large cities, and even in small towns
and villages, deacons rent public spaces, such as
taverns and squares, to preach his teachings.
The largest temple of Pharis in Forcelia is located in
Farz, the royal capital of the Holy Kingdom of Anoth.
In most cases, the power of the monarchy and the
faith are independent, except in Anoth, where the
supreme priest of Pharis is also the king and is called
the “pope”. However, the pope does not reside in
the temple, but in the royal castle built next to it,
where he governs the country. Therefore, the
Temple is run by 5 high priests who serve as his
deputies.
The cathedral, the center of the Temple, is a white
marble building about three floors high though
inside it is a one-story structure. Numerous thick
pillars reaching up to the ceiling line the walls on
both sides. At the back of the building is an altar, in
the center of which stands a huge stone statue of
Pharis. The front parts of the walls and ceiling are
decorated with paintings depicting mythological
subjects and sculptures of Pharis and his subordinate
gods.
The window panes are inlaid with multicolored glass
in a mosaic-like pattern. It is said that they reflect the
images of the sacred language that resonate in the
mind and that those who can understand the sacred
language can understand the meaning of each
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pattern. All important rituals are performed in the
cathedral.
The abbey is the building where priests and deacons
receive their training and study theology. Next to it
are the dormitories where they sleep and live in strict
accordance with the precepts of Pharis. The Temple
also has a training hall for paladins, as well as an
armory built near it. Paladins have their own
dormitory.
The infirmary and prayer hall are open to the public.
The infirmary heals the ill and injured with the
power of spells; at the prayer hall, the teachings of
Pharis are preached to the faithful, and various
ceremonies are performed.
2. Organization of Temples
The organization of temples is basically as follows,
although there are some differences for each deity.
First, the chief executive who has control over the
entire national complex of temples is called the
supreme priest. In the case of the temples of Pharis,
there is one supreme priest for the East and one for
the West of Alecrast. The Supreme Priest of Anoth,
as the head of all temples of Pharis in the East, sees
his mission in becoming the guiding force of all
priests and followers of Pharis.
The supreme priest of the temples of Pharis in
Anoth is also known as the “Pope” and represents
the royal authority of the Holy Kingdom of Anoth.
This position is not hereditary, nor is it necessary to
be born in Anoth. For example, the current Pope
Refald IV was born in Oran, the Kingdom of
Scholars, and his parents were ordinary merchants.
Below a supreme priest are high priests. They are
the chief executives of each region, overseeing local
temples and maintaining regular contact with the
central authority.
In the temples of Pharis, the high priests are also
called “bishops”. Five bishops permanently reside in
the Temple of Anoth to assist the pope and
administer the temple on his behalf. After the
demise of the pope, it is customary that the next
supreme priest is chosen from among these five
bishops.
“Priest” is also used as a general term for magicians
who use divine magic, but officially it is the title of
the head of a temple in a particular place. Naturally,
they must be able to use divine magic, although these
days among the priests of Pharis, there are quite a
few who are unable to use magic.
In the Temple of Pharis in Anoth, under the 5
bishops, there are about 20 deacons of the priestly
rank assigned to various roles. Many of them are
originally heads of local temples and are selected
through a rigorous screening process to come to the
Temple of Anoth. After undergoing intense training
here, they become high priests and are either sent
back to their local temples or remain in the Temple
and are chosen as one of the 5 bishops who serve as
deputies to the supreme priest.
“Acolyte”, the second rank after the priest, is
sometimes used, but it is mainly given to deacons
who assist priests in local temples. In the temples of
Sorcerers’ Guilds
“Guilds” are the professional associations on the
Alecrast continent. There are various guilds
throughout Alecrast. For example, there are guilds
of weavers, guilds of leatherworkers, and many
others. There are also such guilds as thieves’ guilds
and mercenaries’ guilds, and some mercenaries and
adventurers are their members. Joining a guild offers
various privileges, but it also requires money.
Moreover, thieves who have not joined a thieves’
Anoth, it is not an official rank, and even those who
are originally local acolytes are only referred to as
deacons.
The lowest official rank is “deacon”. These are those
who belong to a religious community and are
allowed to live in temples. In most cases, a religious
community also has a group of paladins to protect its
doctrine and followers. However, the paladins of
Pharis are quite different in nature. In addition to the
aforementioned duties, they have another mission:
to hunt down those who defy the laws of Pharis. The
“crusaders” who travel throughout Alecrast are also
disciples of Pharis, either chosen from among the
paladins of the temples of Anoth and the regular
orders of knighthood or serving in this capacity of
their own volition.
guild are likely to end up having to fear the guild’s
assassins.
Once there was a time when magic ruled the world.
It was the time of the Kingdom of Kastool, known
by the name the Ancient Kingdom. It is said that the
rulers of this Magical Kingdom used powerful magic
of the higher ancient language which allowed them
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to raise cities into the sky and tame Ancient Dragons,
the kings of mythical beasts, to use as their servants.
Today, when the sword has become the leading
force of the age, the sorcerers are the inheritors of
this mystical power. And the centers of these
sorcerers are the sorcerers’ guilds. Sorcerers’ guilds
are sometimes called “academies”, or “academies of
scholars”, and the like.
1. Sorcerers’ Guilds
The Sorcerers’ Guild is a huge organization of
sorcerers from all over Alecrast. The initial founder
of this organization is Mana Rai, who is known both
as the “Great Scholar” and the “Supreme Sorcerer”.
Mana Rai is well over one hundred years old and still
going strong serving as Supreme Master of the
headquarters of the Sorcerers’ Guild of Oran. He
organized this guild so that sorcerers would not be
persecuted by the general public due to prejudice,
and so that various sorcerers could work together to
deepen their knowledge of magic. This was about a
hundred years ago. Subsequently, his apprentices
founded similar guilds throughout the country, and
the guild became the continental organization that it
is today.
However, the sorcerers’ guilds that have been
established in various places operate completely
independently. The sorcerers are often invited to
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royal castles to serve as court sorcerers thus
becoming involved in the secrets of their kingdoms,
so they do not have much interaction with each other.
In case of wars between kingdoms, sorcerers
belonging to the Sorcerers’ Guilds sometimes split
into factions and fight against each other. However,
since sorcerers generally dislike warfare and are not
secretive about the knowledge they possess, it is a
customary practice to allow sorcerers from other
branches of the guild to pay a visit and read books or
other materials, as long as they are not dangerous.
The Sorcerers’ Guild has little to do with daily life,
but that does not mean that it is completely isolated
from society. First of all, the various medicines
prepared by the Sorcerers’ Guild are indispensable
to many people. The most reliable way is to go to a
temple and request a healing spell, but this requires
a large “donation”, so only those who have plenty of
money can afford it. On the other hand, the
medicines sold at the Sorcerers’ Guild are
reasonably priced, so even common people can
purchase them.
The Sorcerers’ Guild also provides “counselors” to
answer various questions from ordinary people and
establishes “classrooms” where various lectures are
held, making their knowledge available to the
general public for a fee. This is the only point of
contact with the general public;
the rest is a forbidden area,
known only to members of the
guild.
The Sorcerers’ Guild of Oran,
the first of its kind in the world of
Forcelia, is the largest in Alecrast,
boasting its towering black marble
towers, 15 stories high, arranged
in an equilateral triangle.
Moreover, it has two floors above
ground and one below at its base,
making it a gigantic structure. The
three towers are called
“Knowledge”, “Sorcery”, and
“Truth”, respectively.
Of these, the Tower of
Knowledge is the tower of the
scholars who have no familiarity
with or interest in magic. Here,
knowledge not related to magic is
researched and stored.
Cultivating medicinal herbs and
preparing medicines is also the
task of this tower’s scholars. The head of the tower
is Claudelot the All-Knowing, a sage whose breadth
and depth of knowledge are said to surpass even that
of Mana Rai.
The Tower of Truth has rooms for meetings and
debates, as well as laboratories of Mana Rai, and
high-ranking scholars and sorcerers.
The Tower of Sorcery is the laboratory of the
sorcerers. The higher up you go, the higher the rank
of the sorcerers who own laboratories is, and the top
5 levels of the tower are reserved for special rooms.
On the 11th level, there is the Chamber of Ritual
Magic. This is a room where several sorcerers work
together to perform long rituals and advanced
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techniques of magic. Sometimes dozens of sorcerers
participate in these rituals.
Another room is the Chamber of Appraisal which is
used to examine the power of magic items found in
the ruins of the Ancient Kingdom; it also houses
various magic tools to assist in this purpose.
Then there is the Magic Laboratory, which is used
for experimenting with unknown or dangerous spells,
thus all its walls are covered with the spells of magic
protection.
The private chambers of the head of the Tower of
Sorcery, Sylvera the Guardian of the Forbidden, are
also located here, and this old (but still retaining her
youthful beauty through her magic powers) sorceress
spends life never stepping outside her own chamber
to protect the dangerous magic spells and magic
items stored in the Forbidden Chamber on the
topmost level.
Thieves’ Guilds
Unlike other professional associations, the thieves’
guilds are illegal secret societies. However, everyone
living on the Alecrast continent is aware of their
existence.
Forcelia is the “world of the sword”, where kings and
knights rule with the power of the sword. However,
there are two sides to things, one front and one back,
there is day and there is night. It is not kings who rule
the world on the back side, the world of the night. It
is the thieves who are the leading actors and rulers of
the night world. Thieves are not only skilled in the
art of stealing, but also in assassinating, information
gathering, and many other activities. It is said that
without their presence, no governing power in any
kingdom would be viable. That is why even kings
acquiesce to their existence.
The Thieves’ Guild in Lomar, the Kingdom of
Travelers, is the largest on the Alecrast continent.
1. Thieves’ Guilds
Thieves’ guilds are literally organizations created by
groups of thieves. These organizations exist all over
Alecrast, and all thieves join them.
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2. Structure of the Sorcerers’ Guild
Although the Sorcerers’ Guild has a hierarchy, the
basic relationship is one of mutual respect for each
other’s abilities and knowledge rather than the
authority of one’s rank. At the top of the guild is the
Supreme Master, Mana Rai, who has absolute
authority as the head of the Sorcerers’ Guild of Oran.
Under him are 5 high-ranking sorcerers, called “high
masters”, who supervise a total of ten
“masters”, two for each of them. These masters
further guide the lower-ranking magicians, namely,
sorcerers and sorcerers’ apprentices.
Great Scholar Claudelot is the head of the 12
scholars and is always on the lookout for the truths
of the world.
There are also about 200 young people who are not
official members of the guild but are working hard
studying to become magicians or scholars. However,
only about one in five of them becomes a sorcerer
or a scholar. That is how strict the teaching methods
of the Sorcerers’ Guild are, in addition to the
tremendous amount of money such education costs.
Thieves who join a guild must perform their “work”
according to strict guild rules and pay a percentage
of their income plus a set amount of annual dues. If
non-guild members perform thieving “work”, a
thieves’ guild applies severe “sanctions” on them. Of
course, the same also happens to those who belong
to a thieves’ guild, if they violate their guild’s code.
It is not known exactly when thieves’ guilds were
founded. It is said that either Tessar, a thief king
active in the Western Region of Alecrast two
hundred years ago, was the first to create one, or that
the first guilds were naturally formed out of necessity,
but it is not known for certain.
Thieves’ guilds are completely independent of each
other, and there is little or no interaction between
different regions. However, as a matter of practice, if
one belongs to a thieves’ guild in one place, they are
allowed to work in another town or village, as long as
they address the guild ruling the area and pay its
stipulated dues.
Thieves’ guilds exist in almost every big city.
Sometimes small towns and large villages have such
guilds as well.
The work of the thieves includes stealing money and The entrance doors are made of wood, but the
valuable items from other people’s homes. However, material is very hard and quite thick. Moreover, they
such work must be done without shedding blood. In are usually reinforced from behind with steel plates
other words, they must sneak into wealthy homes and are not easy to break down unless one uses a
and pull off the job without being noticed by the siege battering ram. At each entrance, there is a
household. This is why even the general public watchman, disguised as a beggar, who strictly checks
recognizes the existence of these thieves to a certain on anyone passing through the area.
extent. There are also thieves who pickpocket along
the main streets and avenues. Then there are those One of the buildings is a tavern where fellow thieves
gather to relax and exchange information.
who join the ranks of adventurers and specialize in
raiding the ruins of the Ancient Kingdom. Occasionally, people who do not know what is going
on come in, but they are only met with strange and
Beggars are also not allowed to “work” without wary looks from those around them and are never
permission from a thieves’ guild. Needless to say, kicked out. This is the only place in the Thieves’
they must also pay a percentage of their income. Guild that is open to the public.
Although good people would prefer to live without Next to Dagger Alley, and facing Long Bow Street,
thieves’ guilds, some of them do make requests to which is lined with legitimate stores, there is another
thieves’ guilds, such as stealing a specific item or building with an underground connection to the
secret information from a certain person. Thieves’ Guild, where a general store operates. This
Occasionally, people even ask for assassinations, and store openly displays stolen goods, and sometimes
there are guilds that actually accept such requests. the person whose possessions have been stolen will
come in and buy them back.
Once in a while, a king may ask a thieves’ guild to
spy on the affairs of another country. Sometimes, of 2. Organization of Thieves’ Guilds
course, this may involve the assassination of an
important person from that country. A thieves’ guild has a single ringleader and several
officers who command the thieves belonging to a
Thieves’ guilds vary in size depending on their guild. The number of officers varies depending on
location. Some consist of only a few thieves, while the size of a guild, for example, the Thieves’ Guild
others may have hundreds of members. of Lomar has six officers.
The largest of the thieves’ guilds is the Thieves’
Guild of Lomar, the
Kingdom of Travelers,
which wields tremendous
influence and, some say, has
over a thousand members.
The Thieves’ Guild of
Lomar is located in Lomar’s
downtown area, facing
Dagger Alley. From the
front, it looks like a row of
private houses, but
underground, they are
connected by a labyrinth of
passages, and as a whole, it is
a rather large establishment.
The entrances are located
on each of the above-ground
buildings, but some of them
are fake with no way in or
out, and the rest are
disguised as entrances to
ordinary private houses.

106
Each officer is responsible for managing their
respective part of the work in the thieves’ guild. For
example, the “burglar-in-chief” is in charge of the
“burglars” who sneak into other people’s houses to
steal, and the “pickpocket-in-chief” supervises the
“pickpockets” working on the streets.
Meanwhile, the “appraiser-in-chief” deals with the
buying and selling of stolen goods, puts a price on
those goods, and appraises magical items.
The “scout-in-chief” teaches the guild members
acrobatic skills and weapon combat techniques and
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oversees the “scouts”, who specialize in information
gathering and adventuring.
But the most feared of all is the “assassin-in-chief”,
who gets rid of the guild traitors and those who do
not belong to the guild, as well as conducts
assassinations for money on a contract basis.
The “beggar-in-chief” not only supervises the
“beggars” and collects money from them, but is also
responsible for collecting various information from
around the city. Their information network is
formidable, delivering all sorts of detailed
information to the “beggar-in-chief”.
Elves, the Noble Forest Fairies
Elves are a beautiful and noble race known by the
name of Forest Fairies.
They dwell in deep forests and their lifestyle is
completely different from that of Humans. They are
an extremely closed community and almost never
leave the forest where they live. Elves living among
Humans are a rare exception to the rule.
The Elves inhabiting Tarshas, the “Forest of Strife”,
lying to the south of Ohfun, are also a very
conservative tribe.
1. Elves of the Tarshas Woods
There is not a single soul on the Alecrast continent
who has not heard of Elves. Yet, despite this high
awareness, surprisingly few people have ever met
them.
The reason is simple. They live in seclusion deep in
the forests and rarely venture out into Human
settlements. Therefore, not much is really known
about their way of life.
Tarshas, or the Forest of Strife, has been well-known
since ancient times as the home of the Elven
community. Approximately several hundred Elves
live in this forest, making it one of the biggest Elven-
inhabited areas on Alecrast.
Compared to Human cities with populations of
thousands or tens of thousands, it may indeed seem
small, but the overall number of Elves has never
been large. Their fertility is also not very high, so
their settlements do not grow significantly. Typically,
villages of a dozen or so inhabitants are most
common.
For a long time, people believed that Elves have an
unlimited life span. However, although they do not
age visually, their bodies begin to weaken after 1000
years of life.
However, a higher race of Elves, High Elves,
definitely has an unlimited lifespan. Some of the
elders of High Elves have been living since the time
of the gods. However, High Elves basically dwell in
the Fairy Realm and rarely appear in the Material
World, where we live.
Elves do not have clear hierarchical relationships as
Humans do. Having said that, there is a division of
roles based on age and abilities.
Important village matters are decided by the entire
community. Usually, however, representatives called
“elders” make decisions concerning the whole village,
either alone or collectively in a council, while
negotiating with the public at the same time. There
are four “elders” in the settlement of the Tarshas
Woods.
The village community members are assigned to
different activities necessary for their survival, which
are called “roles”. There are various “roles”, such as
108
“hunting” and “guarding”, each of which has its own
head. The rest of the villagers belong to these “roles”,
but not necessarily to only one of them. For example,
some are responsible both for “hunting” and
“guarding”.
Elven communities are basically self-sufficient.
Gathering nuts and edible wild plants is the basis of
their lifestyle. However, they also raise livestock,
grow crops, and hunt, though only to a small extent.
If metal products and other items cannot be
produced in a village, Elves visit towns to purchase
them. They do not use silver coins to buy these
109
goods but instead pay for them with ornaments,
medicinal herbs, and other items made in their
settlements. It can be said that this is the only form
of interaction they have with Humans.
However, it is a well-known fact that some Elves are
eccentric enough to live among Humans. In addition,
there are also Half-Elves, a mixed race of Humans
and Elves, although they seem to suffer from rather
severe persecution in Elven communities. For this
reason, many Half-Elves live in Human settlements.
But even here, it is not that they are welcome.
Dwarven Settlements
Dwarves are earth fairies.
Like Elves, they were summoned to the Material
World by the gods of light during the War of the
Gods. However, the gods who summoned them
perished, and Dwarves, like Elves and Grassrunners,
were left behind in the Material World. Among the
fairy folk who ended up in a similar situation, they
are said to be the most accustomed to this world,
along with Grassrunners. They are the most
numerous of all the fairy races and have adapted well
to Human society.
Despite this, Dwarves continue building their cities
and villages underground, as they have since time
immemorial.
1. The Dwarves of Goudon
The mining city of Goudon is one of the largest
Dwarven settlements known on the Alecrast
continent. It is home to thousands of Dwarves living
in the cave system built inside the mountainsides of
the Yasgarn Mountains.
In other words, the city of Goudon is divided into
two parts: the aboveground city where Humans live
and the underground city where Dwarves live. The
governor of Goudon is Lord Maud, a knight of the
Kingdom of Ohfun, but everyone knows that the real
power in the city is the leader of the Dwarven clan,
Cauze the Ironbeard.
He and his clan are said to know all the mineral veins
of the Yasgarn Mountains and mine mineral
resources in quantities that are utterly impossible for
Humans. These include iron, gold, silver, and
precious stones. Notably, the Yasgarn Mountains
also contain trace amounts of mithril, all of which is
mined by Cauze’s clan.
In addition, Dwarves process minerals from the
mines with techniques that Humans cannot
reproduce. Dwarves are not good traders by nature,
although they have been getting by. However, if they
were talented as merchants, Alecras’s economy
would be completely in their hands.
They built their settlements after digging through
veins of ore. Of course, they choose areas where the
rock slabs are strong and thus are not affected by
earthquakes. These underground settlements are
scattered over a fairly wide area. Each of them is
called a “section” and each has its own “head”, that
is, a leader of a section. Each section is inhabited by
those engaged in the same occupation and is named
respectively “Gem Section”, “Guarding Section”,
and so on.
The one who rules over all the members of the clan
is called the “clan leader”. The clan leader is also the
head of warriors. The group of warriors under the
direct control of the clan leader is about 200 in
number, which is comparable to the number of
knights in a small kingdom. Moreover, their skills as
110
warriors are comparable to those of knights, and
many of them are also paladins and can use divine
magic.
Not a few have their sights set on the vast wealth
possessed by Dwarves, but because of the presence
of this group of warriors, most have been
unsuccessful in this endeavor. Dwarves are deeply
religious folk, all of them believing in one god or
another. Although they revere the Six Major Gods
such as Mylee, Cha-Za, and Marfa, they also often
worship other gods not commonly believed in by
Humans, such as Braki, the god of blacksmiths, and
Valmera, the goddess of mountain wealth. Each
temple is large enough to occupy an entire section
and is always crowded with priests, deacons, and
worshipers.
For the Dwarves who live underground, day and
night are of little significance; they choose the hours
to work and sleep as they please.
111
It is also a well-known fact that Dwarves are a
drinking race, having at least one tavern open at any
time in each section and up to a dozen or so in the
larger ones.
2. Dwarven Governance System
Dwarves are very close-knit. In addition, they do not
put much value on hierarchical relationships, and
relations within a clan are basically equal. Although
men and women have equal status, women are
generally expected to do only household chores and
rarely do the work that men do.
A “clan leader” is the king of a Dwarven settlement
and the head of warriors. The clan leader of the city
of Goudon is Cauze the Ironbeard, who can be
called the protector of the entire clan of thousands
of members.
The members of this clan live in separate “sections”
of the town, each led by a head of that section.
“Heads of sections” are like village headmen
speaking in Human terms, and at the same time, they
serve as heads of craftsmen’s guilds. Therefore, the
most skillful Dwarves in each section are usually
chosen for this role.
The priests of each temple also establish
organizations of believers across sections, and they
hold great power in Dwarven communities. A clan
leader, heads of the sections, and priests of the
various deities decide on important clan matters as a
council, but this council is convened only in times of
emergency. Most decisions are made at sectional
council meetings, where everything related to a
section is resolved. Local regulations and taxes vary
considerably between different sections, but
Dwarves do not pay much attention to them.
A clan leader organizes a troop of several hundred
warriors to do all military and police work. In the
event of a large-scale battle, however, almost every
man of the brave Dwarves takes up arms and fights.
112
 Data Section
Recheck important proper nouns that appeared in the chapters.
The main text does not fully cover them.
This is the perfect place to refer to for detailed data such as numerical values.
Use this chapter for a final review before a game session.

113
Chapter 2: The Northern Central Plains
Ancient Great Road (road name) [The Northern
Central Plains] The main road leading from the
Kingdom of Ramleers via the Kingdom of Fandria
to the Kingdom of Lomar. It connects the cities of
Lynas and Lomar passing through the city of Fandria.
It is the main artery that runs through the Central
Plains region. The time it takes to travel between
Lynas and Fandria is approximately 7 days, and
between Fandria and Lomar—7 days as well.
Ale Road (road name) [The Northern Central
Plains] It runs through the northern part of the
Kingdom of Ohfun to the Kingdom of Ramleers.
The name comes from the wagons full of wine
barrels traveling along the road. It runs from east to
west, connecting the cities of Lynas and Phun. The
journey between Lynas and Phun takes about 6 days.
Road of Light and Darkness (road name) [The
Northern Central Plains] It runs through the
southern part of the Kingdom of Ohfun to the
Kingdom of Fandria. It connects the cities of Phun
and Fandria. The journey between Phun and
Fandria takes about 6 days.
Ohfun (country name) [The Northern Central
Plains] A kingdom flourishing in the west of the
Northern Central Plains region. It is known as the
“Kingdom of Heroes” and the” Kingdom of
Swords”. The current king is Founder King Rijal.
The royal castle is called “Cedar”. The country’s
order of knighthood is the Order of the Iron Spear.
The population is about 150,000⑴.
Ramleers (country name) [The Northern Central
Plains] A kingdom flourishing in the east of the
Northern Central Plains region. It is known as the
“Magical Kingdom”. The current king is Flarehorn,
the 27th ruler of the country. The royal castle is
called “Grey Forest”. There are two orders of
knighthood: the Knights of Magic and the Order of
the White Hoof. There is also an organization called
the “Forest Guardians”. The population is about
135,000⑵.
Karves the Great (person’s name) [The Northern
Central Plains] The chancellor of the Kingdom of
⑴ ⑶
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,500,000.
⑵ Calendar. Therefore, Flarehorn must have taken the
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,500,000.
Ohfun and the head of the Sorcerers’ Guild of
Ohfun. A former companion adventurer of King
Rijal. Lives in the city of Phun. Age 60.
Cauze the Ironbeard (person’s name) [The
Northern Central Plains] The clan leader of the
Dwarven settlement in the city of Goudon. Lives in
Goudon. Age 150.
Jenny the Princess of the Sword (person’s name)
[The Northern Central Plains] The supreme
priestess of the temples of Mylee in the Central
Plains region. A former companion adventurer of
King Rijal. Lives in the city of Phun. Age 45.
Flarehorn, King of Ramleers (person’s name) [The
Northern Central Plains] The 27th king of the
Kingdom of Ramleers. He won in the struggle for
succession to the throne among the members of the
royal family and ascended to the throne in the year
570⑶ of the New Kingdom Calendar. Lives in the
city of Lynas. Age 23.
Laverna the Witch (person’s name) [The Northern
Central Plains] A scholar and a sorceress belonging
to the Sorcerers’ Guild of Ohfun. By the order of
King Rijal of Ohfun, she embarked on an expedition
across the continent of Alecrast in the year 511 and
returned to Ohfun 10 years later. After her return,
she wrote a book “The Natural History of Alecrast”.
Lives in the city of Phun. Age 29.
Rijal the Dragon-Slayer (person’s name) [The
Northern Central Plains] The founder king of the
Kingdom of Ohfun. He is also the hero who
defeated Krish, the Evil Dragon living on Lake Air.
Founded the Kingdom of Ohfun in the year 500 of
the New Kingdom Calendar. Lives in the city of
Phun. Age 52.
Reclio the Bigot (person’s name) [The Northern
Central Plains] A court sorcerer and minister of the
Kingdom of Ramleers. The head of the Royal
Academy of Ramleers and the head of the Sorcerers’
Guild of Ramleers. Lives in the city of Lynas. Age 95.
Translation note. This must be a typographical error
because Laverna learns about the civil war over the
succession to the throne in the 518 of the New Kingdom
throne this year or probably the year earlier, that is 517.
114
 Lauras the Great Druid (person’s name) [The
Northern Central Plains] The leader of the nature
worshippers (druids) living in Unicorn Woods. An
eminent spirit user. Lives in the Unicorn Woods.
Age 82.
Tarshas Woods (place name) [The Northern
Central Plains] A forest that lies in the southern part
of the Kingdom of Ohfun. It is known as the “Forest
of Strife” because of the fierce battles between Elves
and Goblins that took place in this forest in ancient
times.
Lake Manahl (place name) [The Northern Central
Plains] A lake located in the western part of the
Kingdom of Fandria, to the south of the Tarshas
Woods. It is also known as Mysterious Lake. Its
crystal-clear water is rumored to be a cure for all
illnesses, and travelers come from far and wide just
for this water.
Yasgarn Mountains (place name) [The Northern
Central Plains] A steep mountain range that runs
through the northern part of the Kingdom of
Ramleers and the Kingdom of Ohfun. It is also
known as the Mountains of Snow and Iron. Due to
the cold temperatures, snow does not melt near the
mountain peaks all year round. The area is rich in
mining resources, therefore there are many Dwarven
settlements.
Sea of Ice (place name) [The Northern Central
Plains] An icy sea to the north of the Yasgarn
Mountains. It is not the same as the Sea of Ice which
is said to be located in the far north of the world.
There are rumors that there are savage tribes that
have made this sea their home.
City of Goudon (city name) [The Northern Central
Plains] The second-largest city in the Kingdom of
Ohfun. It is a mining center with a large
underground Dwarven settlement. The population
is 5,000 Dwarves and 20,000 Humans.
City of Phun (city name) [The Northern Central
Plains] The royal capital of the Kingdom of Ohfun.
It is named so to honor the Kingdom of Phun, the
country existing before on the current kingdom’s
territory. Its population is about 50,000. It is the
largest city in Ohfun.
City of Lynas (city name) [The Northern Central
Plains] The royal capital of the Kingdom of
Ramleers. It is the oldest city of the New Kingdom
Period boasting a history of several hundred years
and flourishing art of sorcery. It has a unique

115
architecture influenced by the period of the Whale”. The kingdom’s order of knighthood is the
Kingdom of Kastool. The population is about Order of the Silver Shark. The population is about
45,000. 105,000⑴.
City of Lounam (city name) [The Northern Central Plysis (country name) [The Northeast] A city-state
Plains] The second-largest city in the Kingdom of flourishing in the northern part of Alecrast. It is the
Ramleers. It is a trading city; once a year, merchants largest fortress city in Alecrast. The current king is
from all over the Alecrast continent gather here for Sephile, the 14th ruler of the country. The royal
the annual foal auction. The population is about castle is called “Amber Castle”. The kingdom’s
35,000. order of knighthood is the Knights of Amber. The
population is about 40,000.
Chapter 3: The Northeast Region
Lodorille (country name) [The Northeast] A
Ancient Ruined City (name of ancient ruins) [The kingdom flourishing in the northern part of Alecrast.
Northeast] Ruins of the Ancient Kingdom lying in It has a powerful military force and is known as the
the heart of the Mahatoya Mountains. One of the Military Kingdom. The current monarch is Queen
few ruins that almost completely retain their original June IV, the 14th ruler of the country. The royal
appearance. A forbidden place beset by the grudge castle is called “Thunderclap”. The kingdom’s order
of the dead. of knighthood is the Order of the Iron Hammer.
The main forces, however, are the 3 military units
Cracked Road (road name) [The Northeast] The
known as the Iron Spear Corps, the Iron Axe Corps,
main road running along the Clang River from Chase
and the Iron Pike Corps, all of which consist of
to Arma via Seran and Boris. It was originally called
peasants who have been conscripted for military
the “Blue Road”, but it was given its current name
because its paving stones were cracked by a large service. The population is about 150,000⑵.
corps of Lodorille army that passed through during
the conquest of Boris in the year 507 of the New
Kingdom Calendar. The journey from Arma to
Boris takes about 5 days, from Boris to Seran —
about 6 days, and from Seran to Chase — about 9
days.
Treasure Road (road name) [The Northeast] The
main road running through Baikal, connecting Arma
and Tezza. Goods obtained through trade and piracy
are transported through this road. The journey takes
about a week.
Road of the Drawn Sword (road name) [The
Northeast] The main road running from Chase
through Plysis to Mead. It was originally called the
“Wheat Road”, but it came to be called its current
name after numerous battles were fought on this
road due to Lodorille’s repeated invasions of Plysis.
The journey from Chase to Plysis takes about 6 days.
Baikal (country name) [The Northeast] A
confederation of small tribes flourishing in the
northernmost part of Alecrast. With the sea as its
main sphere of life, it is also known as the Pirate
Kingdom. The current king is Snowlike II, the 11th
king of the country. The royal castle is called “Silver

⑴ ⑵
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,000,000. 1,500,000.

116
Geers the Pirate King (person’s name) [The
Northeast] The head of the largest tribe in Baikal.
He is the de facto leader of Baikal. Many attribute
Lodorille’s retreat from the siege of Boris in 507 of
the New Kingdom Calendar to his skill. Age 60.
June IV the Iron Queen (person’s name) [The
Northeast] The Queen of Lodorille. She calls herself
the empress. Since her accession to the throne in
500, she had been pursuing a policy of expansion
and conquering neighboring countries. She has
made Lodorille the military power it is today. She is
53 years old, but she looks like she is in her twenties.
She hates magicians immensely.
Snowlike II, King of Baikal (person’s name) [The
Northeast] He is the king of Baikal, but only
nominally, and can merely influence the opinions of
leaders of the various tribes. Age 52.
Sephile, King of Plysis (person’s name) [The
Northeast] Although he is not well known outside of
the country, overshadowed by the fame of his
subordinate, Lukial, he possesses outstanding skills
in domestic politics and economics and is highly
respected by his people. Age 38.
Hude the Bloodthirsty General (person’s name)
[The Northeast] The Captain of the Kingsguard of
June IV. His name comes from the fact that during
the Fanon War of Conquest, he massacred one-third
of the population of the royal capital of Seran. Age
40.
Lukial the Chess Player (person’s name) [The
Northeast] A scholar, renowned as a military
strategist for his skillful military tactics. However, he
is also said to regard warfare as a game. In 519, he
received an invitation from Lomar, which he
accepted. Age 48.
Rondberg the Unbreakable (person’s name) [The
Northeast] A high priest of Mylee. Although young,
he has become a major spiritual pillar for the army
of Plysis after Lukial’s leave. Age 32.
Clang River (place name) [The Northeast] A large
river flowing to the east of the Desert of Empty. It is
known for the great number of ferocious giant fish
that inhabit it. Alternatively called the Biting River.
Sadrill River (place name) [The Northeast] A large
river having its source in the Mahatoya Mountains. It
⑴
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
500,000.
117
is also known as the “Marfa’s Milk” because of the
white color of its water. At the confluence of the
Sadrill and the Clang rivers, one can marvel at the
strange sight of the two streams of different colors
flowing together without mixing.
City of Arma (city name) [The Northeast] The
largest city in Baikal. It is located on the coast of Azul
Bay and serves as the main base for the tribe of
Geers the Pirate King. As a port, it is one of the best
equipped on the Alecrast continent. The population
is 8,000 in summer and 12,000 in winter when the
sea is frozen over.
City of Seran (city name) [The Northeast] The
second-largest city of Lodorille. The royal capital of
the Kingdom of Fanon, annexed by Lodorille in the
year 502 of the New Kingdom Calendar. The
population is about 8,500.
City of Chase (city name) [The Northeast] The royal
capital of Lodorille. Most of the citizens are soldiers
and always walk around armed. The population is
about 50,000⑴.
City of Tezza (city name) [The Northeast] A city
located at the southern tip of Baikal. It is the
agricultural center of the kingdom and a key inland
hub for trade with other countries. The trade in
plundered goods and the exchange of hostages for
ransom are also conducted here. The population is
about 10,000.
City of Boris (city name) [The Northeast] It is the
royal capital of Baikal and supplies timber for
shipbuilding to the entire Baikal from the nearby
Flam Woods. The population is about 14,000.
Chapter 4: The Far East Region
Mara Ajanis's Capital, the City of Illusion (name of
ancient ruins) [The Far East] Ruins of the Ancient
Kingdom which are said to be located in the Goblin
Woods. It is said that the whole city was formed by
a single sorcerer with the magic of illusion.
Statues of Giants (name of ancient ruins) [The Far
East] Ruins of the Ancient Kingdom located at the
north of the national border of Anoth. Unknown
gigantic Human statues half-buried in the ground.
The Nine Towers (name of ancient ruins) [The Far
East] One of the ruins of the Ancient Kingdom
located in the Mahatoya Mountains. The ruins of a
small city built around the nine towers.
Misleading Road (road name) [The Far East] The
main road connecting the north and south of
Milargo. It is also considered the boundary between
the grasslands and the mountain range. It is called
this name because the road sometimes disappears in
the middle of the meadows. The journey from Fuoss
to Glard takes about 10 days, and from Glard to
Vanker—about a week.
Road of Loved Ones (road name) [The Far East] A
road from Mead to Milargo. The name comes from
a legend about a couple of lovers. The journey from
Fuoss to Mead takes about 12 days.
Road of Anger (road name) [The Far East] The
main road connecting Baikal and Mudeel. The
journey from Tezza to Mudeel takes about 2 weeks.
Many people travel this road with anger in their
hearts.
Road of White Mist (road name) [The Far East] The
main road that passes through the western part of the
Great Wetlands, connecting the southern part of
Milargo with the central part of Anoth. Often
covered with fog, hence the name. The journey from
Vanker to Iston takes about 3 weeks, and from Iston
to Farz—about 6 days. The part of the road between
Iston and Farz is sometimes called the Brass Road.
Road of the Wind’s End (road name) [The Far East]
The main road that connects Mudeel and Fuoss.
The journey takes about 2 weeks. It is called by this
name because it is located at the eastern edge of the
continent.
Anoth (country name) [The Far East] A kingdom
flourishing in the northern part of the Southeastern
region of Alecrast. It is also known as the Holy
Kingdom. The current king is King Refald IV. The
royal castle is called “Holy Hammer”. The
kingdom’s order of knighthood is the Knights of
Light. It is a very religious country with faith in Pharis
as its state religion. The population is about 120,000.
Milargo (country name) [The Far East] A kingdom
flourishing in the southern part of the Southeastern
region of Alecrast. A confederation of dozens of
nomadic tribes of the grasslands. Known as the
“Kingdom of Meadows”. The current king is Kuna,
the 13th ruler of the country. The royal castle is
⑴ ⑵
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,000,000.
called “Great Plain”. The kingdom’s order of
knighthood is the Order of the Iron Hoof. In times
of crisis, an allied tribal army is organized. The
population is about 100,000⑴.
Mudeel (country name) [The Far East] A kingdom
flourishing on the eastern edge of Alecrast. Known
as the Farthest Kingdom. The current king is Tin,
the 21st ruler of the country. The royal castle is
called “Blue Dragon”. The kingdom’s order of
knighthood is the Order of the Tiger’s Fang. The
population is about 120,000⑵.
Kuna, Leader of Jarba Tribe (person’s name) [The
Far East] The king of Milargo, chosen by the tribal
gathering. Chosen more for his wisdom than his
valor. Age 38.
Saran the Seeker of the Everlasting (person’s name)
[The Far East] A sorcerer living in Darrien. He has
been conducting research on various topics,
including immortality, but he is more famous as an
inventor of various daily necessities as a by-product
of his research. Age 87.
Shao the Dual-Sword Fencer (person’s name) [The
Far East] The best warrior in Mudeel. He uses a
unique sword technique that involves wielding two
curved swords of different lengths in each hand. He
has opened a training center for swordsmen in the
city of Mudeel. Age 38.
Solkow the Unnoticeable (person’s name) [The Far
East] The chief of the “Crimson Eye”, a large gang
of thieves based in the Maslaum Mountains. His
exact age is unknown, but he appears to be in his
forties.
Durbellchase the All-Measuring Master (person’s
name) [The Far East] The supreme priest of the
Temple of Cha-Za in the city of Kwon. He is said to
have been born in the West. Age 46.
Danbard the One Who Sheds No Tears (person’s
name) [The Far East] The head of the Crusaders of
Pharis in Anoth. Known for his strict character. Age
54.
Tin, King of Mudeel (person’s name) [The Far East]
A mediocre king in terms of politics and military
affairs. He is a well-known art collector. Rumor has
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,200,000.
118
it that he is planning a major renovation of the royal
castle. Age 43.
Pada the Golden Tail (person’s name) [The Far
East] A renowned Centaur, who is a minister of
Milargo and a scholar versed in ancient magic. Age
69.
Falcilla the Gardener (person’s name) [The Far East]
An Elven spirit user born as a “changeling”⑴. She is
the head of the druid monks of Milargo. She has
served as a counselor to the king of Milargo for
generations. Age 230.
Firen the Dream Weaver (person’s name) [The Far
East] He is known throughout Alecrast as the best
singer of Mudeel and a peerless dancer. He is also a
deacon of Marfa though possessing the power of a
high priest. Age 28.
Refald IV, Pope (person’s name) [The Far East] The
king of Anoth and at the same time the supreme
priest of the temples of Pharis. In terms of his
fairness and selflessness, he is regarded as the most
outstanding person among the kings of the past. Age
45.
Reldram the Seeker of Truth (person’s name) [The
Far East] A court sorcerer of Anoth. He is a close
friend of Danbard whom he met when Danbard was
wandering around Alecrast. Age 78.
Grozaml Mountains (place name) [The Far East]
The largest mountain range in the Eastern region. It
is said that there are many ruins of the Ancient
Kingdom in these mountains. They are also known
by the name the “Mountains of Wonders”.
Darlide Grasslands (place name) [The Far East] A
vast grassland area that occupies most of Milargo.
Also known as the “Bed of the Gods”.
Farshen River (place name) [The Far East] A large
river that runs from the north of the Mahatoya
Mountains crossing Mudeel. It is also known as the
“Honey River of Sorrows”, but the origin of this
name is unknown. There are rumors that the name
is related to the five abandoned villages near the
source.
Maslaum Mountains (place name) [The Far East]
This steep mountain range is also known as the
“Shield of the East” because it has been a natural
⑴ Elven blood. These children are called “changelings” and
Translation note. In very rare cases, Elves and Half-
Elves can be born to Humans if they have ancestors of
119
barrier against the invasion of the savage tribes from
the Northeast.
Mahatoya Mountains (place name) [The Far East] A
gently sloping mountain range rising to the west of
Mudeel. Also known as the “Butterfly Mountains”.
Great Wetlands (place name) [The Far East] Vast
wetlands lying along the coast between Milargo and
Anoth. It has a unique ecosystem and is said to be
inhabited by several savage tribes.
Eastend Island (place name) [The Far East] An
island in the sea to the east of Mudeel. The island is
said to be home to a unique ethnic group with its own
culture, different from that of the continent.
Youma Woods (place name) [The Far East] A huge
forest known to be inhabited by a large number of
youma and magical beasts. Also known as the
Goblin Woods because of the abundance of Goblins
living there. However, many non-evil creatures, such
as Elves, also dwell here.
City of Iston (city name) [The Far East] A mountain
city in the north of Anoth. It is the center of the ore
mining and production industry in the Grozaml
Mountains. The population is about 15,000.
City of Vanker (city name) [The Far East] A port city
in Milargo, located in the north of the Great
Wetlands. Its population is about 10,000. The city
has so many bridges that it is often referred to as the
“City of 1,000 Bridges”. The main means of
transportation is small boats sailing on the waterways.
City of Kwon (city name) [The Far East] A port city
located at the mouth of the Farshen River. Many of
Mudeel’s armed merchant ships use this city as their
home port. The population is about 10,000.
City of Glard (city name) [The Far East] A The royal
capital of Milargo. It naturally formed on the site
where nomads gathered and held markets and tribal
leaders’ gatherings. Therefore, the city gives the
impression of being somewhat cluttered. Strong
stone buildings are few in number, and tent houses
can still be seen in the town. The population is about
12,000.
City of Thormey (city name) [The Far East] The
second-largest city in Anoth. Its population is about
18,000. Most of the buildings are built of white
marble, and the city is famous for its beautiful
are frowned upon in Human society.
architecture, including the Tower of Radiance in the
Temple of Pharis, which is made of crystal and
stained glass.
City of Darrien (city name) [The Far East] The
second-largest city in Mudeel, located at the foot of
the Maslaum Mountains. It is a planned city with
buildings arranged in concentric circles. The
population is about 15,000.
City of Farz (city name) [The Far East] The royal
capital of Anoth. Also known as the “City of Light”.
Most of the city’s residents are devout followers of
Pharis. The population is about 25,000.
City of Fuoss (city name) [The Far East] The second-
largest city in Milargo. It was built on the ruins from
the Ancient Kingdom Period, thus all the streets of
the city cross each other at right angles. The
population is about 11,000.
City of Mudeel (city name) [The Far East] The royal
capital of Mudeel. It is also known as the “City of
Peacock Feathers” because many of the buildings in
the city are painted in flashy primary colors. The
population is about 30,000.
Chapter 5: Oran
Rex, “Fallen City” (name of ancient ruins) [Oran]
The largest ruins of the Ancient Kingdom in Alecrast,
located three days to the north of Oran. It takes
nearly 2 weeks just to travel around them. It is
considered to have been a huge city floating in the
sky that collapsed and became a ruin around the
time of the downfall of the Ancient Kingdom.
Road Above the Clouds (road name) [Oran] The
main road leading from Anoth to Oran over the
Grozaml Mountains. On the part of the road over
the Grozaml Mountains, there are several stone
stairways with hundreds of steps. The journey from
Thormey to Blard takes about 13 days, and from
Blard to Oran—about 15 days.
Serpent Road (road name) [Oran] The main road
that branches off from the Road of Loved Ones to
the west of Mead and leads to Oran. It is called this
because it winds through the mountains, like a snake.
The journey from Plysis to Oran takes about 30 days.
Road of Dawn and Sunset (road name) [Oran] The
main road connecting Oran and Pada. It is the road
⑴
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
2,000,000.
taken by those who head for Fallen City. The
journey from Oran to Pada takes about 3 days.
Oran (country name) [Oran] A kingdom flourishing
in the Southern region of Alecrast. It is known as the
“Kingdom of Scholars”. The current king is
Cayaltard VII, the 16th ruler of the country. The
royal castle is called “Eight Circles”. The kingdom’s
order of knighthood is Knights of the Wheel. The
population is about 200,000⑴.
Cayaltard VII the Sage King (person’s name) [Oran]
The current king of Oran. He has been prone to
illness recently due to old age and thus is planning to
abdicate the throne to the Crown Prince. Age 78.
Claudelot the All-Knowing (person’s name) [Oran]
The head of the Tower of Knowledge of the
Academy of Scholars in Oran. His extensive and
deep knowledge is not inferior to Mana Rai’s. Age
101.
Sylvera the Guardian of the Forbidden (person’s
name) [Oran] The head of the Tower of Sorcery of
the Academy of Scholars in Oran. She guards the
forbidden knowledge. She retains the appearance of
her youth through magic. Age 84.
Trusedora the Teller of the Old (person’s name)
[Oran] The supreme priest of the temples of Rada
in Oran. He is as knowledgeable about ancient lore
as Mana Rai and Claudelot.
Mana Rai the Great Scholar and Supreme Sorcerer
(person’s name) [Oran] The head of the Sorcerers’
Guild of Oran. The name “Mana” is derived from
an ancient word meaning “magic power” and is
regarded as the highest rank of sorcerers currently
living on Alecrast. Age 123.
Randine, Crown Prince (person’s name) [Oran] The
firstborn son of Cayaltard VII. If he ascends the
throne, he will be the 4th king to bear the name
Randine. Age 45.
Finders (person’s name) [Oran] Also known as the
“Trailblazers”. The most famous group of
adventurers in Oran. It consists of 5 members:
Hardy the Titan-Slayer, Layard, a paladin of Mylee,
Tad the Fleet-Footed, a senior member of a thieves’
guild, Faith, a spirit user, and Balen, a sorcerer.
120
Eston Mountains (place name) [Oran] A mountain
range rising to the northwest of Rex. There are a few
Dwarven settlements in the area. Also known as the
“Evergreen Mountains”.
Hazard River (place name) [Oran] A large river
having its source in the Eston Mountains. It flows
through the central part of Oran and is a major
waterway.
Lake Mead (place name) [Oran] A large lake that is
said to be the remains of a rocky mountain that was
excavated during the creation of Rex.
City of Oran (city name) [Oran] The royal capital of
Oran. With a population of about 100,000, it is the
largest city in Alecrast. Its Academy of Scholars is the
center of magic in Alecrast, comparable to that of
Ramleers.
City of Kazof (city name) [Oran] A port city located
to the south of Oran. Once a year, a masked festival
is held in which men and women wearing masks of
beasts dance throughout the night around bonfires lit
at important places in the city, which attracts many
visitors to it. The population is about 30,000.
City of Pada (city name) [Oran] Located to the south
of “Fallen City”, it has become an important stop for
adventurers heading for the ruins. A high wall has
been built around the city to protect it from the
monsters that live in the ruins. The population is
about 5,000.
City of Blard (city name) [Oran] The second-largest
city in Oran. The population is about 25,000.
City of Mead (city name) [Oran] Located to the
north of Lake Mead, the city lives off the lake’s
resources. The population is about 10,000.
Chapter 6: The Central Region
Road of Free People (road name) [The Central
Region] It connects Oran to the western city-state
countries and ends at the village of Palmer. It is the
main artery connecting the East and West of
Alecrast. The journey from Oran to Eremire takes
about 3 weeks, from Eremire to Saine—about 2
weeks, from Saine to Lomar—about 2 weeks, and
from Lomar to Reide—about 5 days.
Eremire (country name) [The Central Region] A
kingdom flourishing in the east of the Central Region
⑴ ⑵
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,000,000.
121
of Alecrast. Known as the “Kingdom of Craftsmen”.
The current king is Sunnytalk III, the 11th ruler of
the country. The royal castle is called “Burning Iron”.
The kingdom’s order of knighthood is the Knights
of the Horn. The population is about 90,000⑴.
Saine (country name) [The Central Region] A
kingdom flourishing in the west of the Central
Region of Alecrast. Known as the “Kingdom of
Lakesides”. The current king is Zeunus, the 4th ruler
of the country. The royal castle is called “Shining
Trident”. The kingdom’s order of knighthood is the
Order of the Snakehead. The population is about
70,000⑵.
Eliderlude the Mother-Deer (person’s name) [The
Central Region] The supreme priest of Marfa.
During the civil war in Saine, she devoted herself to
helping people. Once she was imprisoned by
Zeunus but immediately released.
Viscount Cassel the Scoffer (person’s name) [The
Central Region] He is the son of the leader of the
rebel army, who is a blood relative of a noble family
of the former Kingdom of Moraana. He has been
hiding underground and still continues his activities
against the royal family of Saine. A bounty on his
head is 10,000 gamels. Age 29.
Sunnytalk III, King of Eremire (person’s name)
[The Central Region] The king of Eremire. He was
known as a military man in his younger days. Age 68.
Sunburst the Jack-of-All-Trades (person’s name)
[The Central Region] The chairman of the
Assembly of Craftsmen’s Guilds in Eremire. In
Eremire, his political power is comparable to that of
the king. He used to be a woodworker. Age 59.
Zeunus the Bloody King (person’s name) [The
Central Region] The king of Saine. He ascended the
throne after killing his elder brother. Therefore, he
is actually the 4th king, although he himself claims to
be the 3rd. No one calls him by his sobriquet to his
face. Age 31.
Tolstack the Thick-Arms-Slender-Fingers (person’s
name) [The Central Region] He is said to be the
most skillful bladesmith in Eremire. Unlike other
craftsmen, he applies his own original ideas to the
swords he crafts, making his creations far above
average in quality. He lives in a small house in a
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
700,000.
downtown area, somewhat hidden from the rest of
the world. Age 52.
Lake Air (place name) [The Central Region] The
largest lake in Alecrast. Because of its size, it is also
known as the “Inland Sea”.
Khan Desert, “Desert of Malice” (place name) [The
Central Region] A vast desert lying to the north of
Eremire. Unlike the Desert of Empty, it is inhabited
by a certain number of creatures. There are also
nomads who have made this land their home.
Gorondel Mountains (place name) [The Central
Region] A mountain range rising in the central part
of the Doudent Peninsula. Home to a particularly
large number of Titans.
Zaren Mountains (place name) [The Central
Region] A mountain range located to the east of
Lake Air. The Bayan and Zaren Mountains are
inhabited by several mountain tribes, some of which
are said to have a fairly large number of members.
Selenodus River (place name) [The Central Region]
The river which originates from Lake Air, heads
eastward and flows into the sea west of the city of
Eremire.
⑴ Mountains are the same mountain range. They are called
Translation Note. In one of the Q&A answers, it was
mentioned that the Bayan Mountains and the Finbull
Doudent Peninsula (place name) [The Central
Region] A huge peninsula located to the south of
Saine. It is also known as the “Kingdom of Titans”.
Because of the large number of Cyclopes and other
Titans living here, there are almost no Human
inhabitants, except for a few savage tribes. It is said
that some of them worship Titans as gods.
Bayan Mountains ⑴ (place name) [The Central
Region] A mountain range rising to the northeast of
the Khan Desert. Also known as the “Black
Mountains” due to the color of its rock surface.
Yuselius Mountains (place name) [The Central
Region] A mountain range rising to the west of Lake
Air. It is also called the “Wailing Mountains”
because of the sound of the wind blowing down from
the peaks.
Chain of Bizarre Cliffs (place name) [The Central
Region] A series of huge rock pillars protruding from
Lake Air.
City of Eremire (city name) [The Central Region]
The royal capital of Eremire. An industrial city
situated in a good harbor. It is the center of
stonemasons’ and blacksmiths’ guilds. The
population is about 20,000.
City of Saine (city name) [The Central Region] The
royal capital of Saine, located on the shores of Lake
Air. The population is about 10,000. One-third of
the city’s residents live in houses built on rafts made
of reeds floating on the surface of the lake.
City of Moraana (city name) [The Central Region]
The royal capital of the now defunct Kingdom of
Moraana. It has become a base of the rebel army
consisting of the remnants of the Moraana nobility.
The population is about 8,000.
City of Luonil (city name) [The Central Region] The
second-largest city in Eremire. The center of
woodworkers’ and leatherworkers’ guilds. The
population is about 18,000.
Chapter 7: The Southern Central Plains
Road to Summer (road name) [Southern Central
Plains] The main road connecting Lomar and Felder.
The journey takes about 5 days.
Fandria (country name) [Southern Central Plains] A
kingdom flourishing in the north of the Southern
"Bayan" in the Western dialect and "Finbull" in the
Eastern.
122
Central Plains region. Known as the “Kingdom of
Chaos”. The current king is Tilar II, the 3d ruler of
the country. The royal castle is called “Sky Lifter”.
The kingdom’s order of knighthood is the Order of
the Bay Laurel. However, in reality, the main
military force is the private armies of the various
guilds. The population is about 125,000⑴.
Lomar (country name) [Southern Central Plains] A
kingdom flourishing in the south of the Southern
Central Plains region. Known as the “Kingdom of
Travelers”. In the year 503 of the New Kingdom
Calendar, it annexed the Reide Empire and became
the military powerhouse that it is today. The current
king is Asner II, the 18th ruler of the country. The
royal castle is called “Wind Rider”. The kingdom’s
orders of knighthood are the Order of the Falcon
and the Order of the Swan. There are also two
mercenary units: the Mercenaries of the Vulture and
the Mercenaries of the Swallow. The population is
about 120,000⑵.
Asner II the Conqueror (person’s name) [Southern
Central Plains] The king of Lomar. He conquered
Reide and made Lomar into the great power that it
is today. He is also known as the Horse Rider Lion.
Age 45.
Cunning the Godlike (person’s name) [Southern
Central Plains] The head of the Thieves’ Guild of
Lomar. The Thieves’ Guild of Lomar is the largest
in Alecrast. Age 55.
Galzaire the Righteous Balance (person’s name)
[Southern Central Plains] The head of the “Iron-
Footed Donkey”, the traders’ guild of Fandria.
Among the organizations that sustain Fandria, it is
known as a relatively moderate faction. Age 62.
Tilar II the Puppet King (person’s name) [Southern
Central Plains] The king of Fandria. He is merely a
puppet of several organizations that control Fandria.
Age 38.
Pale the Supreme Priest of Darkness (person’s
name) [Southern Central Plains] The supreme priest
of the temples of Phalaris in Fandria, the only place
in Alecrast where they are officially recognized. Age
45.
Eudo Lyre the One-Legged Raven (person’s name)
[Southern Central Plains] The captain of Lomar’s
mercenaries. He lost one of his legs in a battle against
⑴ ⑵
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,200,000.
123
Reide, but it did not dampen his resourcefulness and
valor. Age 42.
Palmer (village name) [Southern Central Plains] A
small village at the western end of the Road of Free
People. Named after Palmer Lori, the founder of the
road. Local people speak the Eastern dialect. Its
population is about 200.
Cross-No Mountains (place name) [Southern
Central Plains] A mountain range with the highest
mountains in Alecrast, also known as the “Ladder to
the Sky”.
Zelior River (place name) [Southern Central Plains]
A river that originates from Lake Nomiol and flows
into the Stlamora Sea. It is also known as the
“Muddy River” because its waters contain a lot of
mud.
Tonoy Cape (place name) [Southern Central Plains]
A cape located to the southwest of Reide. It is known
as a difficult place to navigate. The area is covered in
deep jungles. There is a legend that a huge city can
sometimes be seen from ships passing by.
Lake Nomiol (place name) [Southern Central
Plains] A lake located to the north of Reide. It is
rumored that there is a huge hollow at the bottom of
the lake. The marshy areas along the shore are
inhabited by youma, but also provide certain foods
such as mudfish.
Halkia Highlands (place name) [Southern Central
Plains] The highlands lying at the foot of the Yuselius
Mountains, to the east of Lomar.
Maerim Woods (place name) [Southern Central
Plains] Also known as the “Vermilion Woods”
because in the fall the leaves turn beautifully red.
City of Fandria (city name) [Southern Central Plains]
The royal capital of the Kingdom of Fandria. The
city has a lot of newly built buildings because many
of them were burnt down during the wars at the time
of the downfall of Phun. The population is about
30,000.
City of Felder (city name) [Southern Central Plains]
A port city located to the south of Lomar. Also
known as the “City of Everlasting Summer” thanks
to its warm climate. The population is about 20,000.
Translation Note. In "Sword World RPG Complete
Edition," published later, the population was changed to
1,200,000.
City of Reide (city name) [Southern Central Plains]
The second-largest city in Lomar, located on the
shores of Lake Nomiol. Originally the royal capital
of the Reide Empire. It was annexed by Lomar in
the year 503 of the New Kingdom Calendar. The
population is about 35,000.
City of Remrier (city name) [Southern Central
Plains] The second-largest city in Fandria. Located
in the southern part of the kingdom. Originally an
independent city-state, it was annexed in the year 494
of the New Kingdom Calendar during the founding
of Fandria. The population is about 25,000.
City of Lomar (city name) [Southern Central Plains]
Located at a vital place for transportation, the city has
been developing as a city-state since ancient times.
The north of Lomar, where the royal palace is
located, and the south, the downtown area with its
arena and the black market, are separated by the
Road of Free People and differ greatly in nature.
The population is about 40,000.

124
 Cover Illustration
Yoshitaka Amano

Color Illustrations
Hitoshi Yoneda
Takuhito Kusanagi
Joji Rindou

Text Illustrations
Yoshitaka Amano
Joji Rindou

Editing
Yoshihiro Ouchi
Takuzou Suganuma
Design
design CREST
DESIGN STUDIO WIDE
Translation & Editing
Torimayren
Additional Editing
Auquid

SWORD WORLD RPG

WORLD GUIDE
January 15, 1993 1st edition published

Author: Ryo Mizuno & Group SNE

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