The Age of Gods was closing. Eternity had come to an end. The heavens shook as the armies of Falis, the supreme God of Light, clashed with those of Falaris, the supreme God of Darkness. In the seemingly endless battle, the earth wept and the oceans trembled in fear.

The final battle between the survivors, Marfa, the Mother-Goddess of Creation, and Kardis, the malevolent Goddess of Destruction, echoed to the ends of the earth.

At the climax of their fierce battle, a continent separated, creating a land on which both the goddesses of light and darkness perished like a flame and flickered away.

Several thousand years later, the land to the south of the continent of Alecrast has become known as "Lodoss - The Accursed Island."

- Narrator, Record of Lodoss War

In the beginning...
"In the beginning the Giant Atsuki came. For Atsuki, the Giant of Forceria, life came to an end. But from him all life began. His body formed the land and his blood became the seas. His angry wail became the winds and storm. From his final breath came flame that brought the fires of life.

"When the world had thus formed, the gods were born from the remains of Atsuki's body. From his right foot came Myrii, the God of War. From his left foot came Cha Za, the God of Trade. From his head came Rada, God of Wisdom. From his body came Marfa, Mother-Goddess of Creation. The wicked god of Darkness, Falaris came from his right hand, and from his left came Falis, the Supreme God of Light."
- Lady of Pharis, Lodoss War Manga

Many thousand of years passed as the people and creatures of Forceria prospered and worshiped their gods. Yet, in time, the gods began to war amongst themselves. Gods of Light and Gods of Darkness fought to control the world of Forceria. In the great war that spanned a thousand years the gods of Light and Dark were destroyed, and many hundred lesser deities perished in the furious battle.

In the final climatic battle, Kardis Goddess of Destruction, and Marfa Goddess of Creation, destroyed each other in mutual annihilation. With her dying breath Kardis cursed the land with her fury. Marfa, the last of her power burning away, separated the cursed land into the island of Lodoss, thus protecting the rest of the Forceria. Marfa's spirit came to rest upon the island to protect it from the curse of the evil Goddess Kardis. The dark remnant soul of Kardis died upon the broken land of Marmo. Many thousand years later the spirits of the departed goddesses still watch over these lands which they once fought over in life. Even in death the two goddesses influence the fate of both lands.

After the great battle between the gods of Light and Dark, the many neutral gods and goddess, who held no loyalty to Light or Dark, escaped to a far away land where they discarded their bodies and reincarnated into numerous wild beasts-including the lion, snake, bear and fox. They isolate their land of Crystania from the rest of Forceria by the creation of the Rampart of the Gods. None have entered Crystania; those who try, never return.

Age of Chaos
In the two thousand years after the climatic battle between the last great goddesses, the land Lodoss was disordered and chaotic. Kingdoms and empires would rise and fall. Sorcerers and monsters from the dark island of Marmo would invade the lands of Lodoss, destroying villages and pillaging cities.

Age of Magic
Eight hundred years before the Age of Enlightenment, there arose in Lodoss a greater kingdom the likes of which have never been see again. Kastuul, the Kingdom of Sorcery, a mighty empire that united all of Lodoss but reigned with an iron fist. For hundreds of years Kastuul dominated the lands. Great progress was made in magic and the kings and queens became like unto gods in their power.

In the end, the their powers of magic became too much for them. In an attempt to unlock even greater power of magic, the greatest sorcerers of Kastuul invoke a grand spell of ultimate design. But it failed and destroyed much of their holy lands in a great cataclysm of fire. In the turmoil that followed, barbarian kingdoms rose up to destroy the nation that had opposed them. In the wars that followed, the Kingdom of Sorcery collapsed.

Before all was lost, Governor Saluvan secured five great artifacts known as the Governor's Treasure to prevent them falling into the wrong hands. Each of the five Ancient Dragons would guard one treasure, insuring its absolute safety. To Bramd was given the Staff of Life. To Abram was given the Soul Crystal Ball. To Mycen was given the Mirror of Truth. To Narse was given the Ferroniere of Knowledge. Finally, it was the mighty Shooting Star who was charged with the most powerful of all magical items, the Scepter of Domination, the single relic which could control all the magic in Lodoss.

Only one great sorcerer survived the fall of Kastuul. The witch, Karla, was able to transfer her mind and soul into a magical circlet. Through her circlet she is able to control anyone who wears it. By this mechanism, Karla was able to transcend the physical limits of flesh and become immortal. She still lives on, half a millennium after the Fall, believing herself to be the singular guardian of Lodoss.

Age of Enlightenment
For five hundred years, a new Dark Age consumed the land. Five Ancient Dragons had survived the Fall of Kastuul -- two dragons of light and three of darkness. The Dragons of Darkness (Shooting Star, Abram, and Narse) took to hoarding away vast and powerful magical treasures. The Dragons of Light (Bramd and Mycen) helped to rebuild Lodoss and bring the people out of darkness. Mycen, the Golden Dragon, helped build the Kingdom of Moss. Bramd, the Ice Dragon, lives in the Ice Caves of the Northern Mountains near Tarba, and is frequently visited by the holy priests of Marfa.

Only in recent times have the greater kingdoms of Lodoss come to be. Valis, the Holy Kingdom of Light, was founded by King Fahn. Alan, a kingdom where peace and learning are prized above all, is ruled by King Kadomos VII; Kanon, another peace loving nation, was founded in the south of Lodoss, dangerously close to Marmo; in the south-western region of Lodoss is the Kingdom of Moss, ruled by Prince Jester, the Dragon Rider Knights, and the Ancient Dragon Mycen. Finally, off the southeastern cost of Lodoss, rests the dark island of Marmo, where chaos and monsters rule.

First Age of Heroes
It seemed a grand Golden Age was approaching. The lands of Lodoss were united; great progress was being made in science, art, and magic. Peace reigned and the people prospered.

But then came a great darkness unto the bleak and pestilent island of Marmo where the dead soul of Kardis rests in eternal decay. A Demon King arose from the shattering insanity of the dead goddess, and brought all of Marmo under his tyrannical grasp. The Demon King's eyes turned to the northern island-content of Lodoss, and his armies of darkness marched forth to bring the enchanting realm under his total domination.

The Demon King had to be stopped, yet no army of peace-loving Lodoss could stand in his way. Six heroes rose up to face the dreadful Demon King, and went forth bravely to face him and his horrid followers.

King Fahn of Valis, the great knight Lord Beld, Neese, priestess of Marfa, the wise wizard Wort, the king of the dwarves, Frepe, and the sixth -- a sorceress whose true name was never told... Indeed she was Karla, waging her eternal war to keep the balance of Lodoss in check.

These six heroes ventured across Lodoss, freeing cities and driving back the Demon's army. In the final confrontation, Lord Beld slew the terrible Demon King with his sword, but in so doing was bathed in the Demon's blood. Beld's soul was forever darkened by the Demon's power and he was corrupted to evil.

The surviving heroes became legends. King Fahn returned to Valis and there ruled for thirty more years. Belt took control of Marmo, and ruled as the Dark Emperor. Neese founded the Temple of Marfa, and is advised and protected by the Ice Dragon Bramd. The Sage Wort now recluses himself in his own castle, immersed in the study of magic. And the Nameless Sorceress, Karla, vanished for the next thirty years.

War of Heroes
In the thirty year time after the fall of the Demon King of Marmo, the lands of Lodoss were at peace once more. But Beld had other ambitions. Beyond his small island of Marmo, the island-continent of Lodoss awaited. He marched forth with his terrible armies of soldiers, dark elves, kobolds, goblins, and ogres to bring Lodoss under his control. And leading his monstrous army was Lord Ashram, the Dark Knight.

Karla, the Grey Witch, would not sit idly by. The Balance of Lodoss had once more been tipped, and all was in jeopardy. She set out to play both sides of the war, pretending to be allied to Beld, yet working within her own agenda. She helped guide a band of young adventurers, six new heroes, to the final battle with Beld's army.

King Fahn, hearing of Beld's invasion, sent his own armies to face off with the Dark Emperor of Marmo. Time and again, their armies clash, but the war quickly became a stalemate. Knowing there was but one way determine the victor in such a battle, the two heroes of old marched out to face off in single combat. Enemies, who were once friends and comrades at arms, now battled to the death for Lodoss.

The elder Fahn was no match for Beld, and the good king died from a fatal wound dealt by the great sword Soul Crusher. The men in Fahn's army were outraged -- even the valiant knight Kashue, King of Flaim. An arrow losed by one of Fahn's men struck Beld in the arm, and taking this opportunity to strike, King Kashue attacked and slew Emperor Beld while he was distracted. Beld fell, and the War of Heroes was over.

It should be noted that the death of Beld (descirbed above) does differ in the timeline of the Chronicals of the Heroic Knight than that which was in the original OAV series.

Between the Wars
The Marmo Army had been stopped, but the losses were terrible. Over a third of Lodoss remained under Marmo control, including all of Kanon and half of Alania. The rest of Alania and much of Valis were heavily decimated by the war.

The heroes of the war, Parn, Deedlit, and the rest, set out to bring order to the turbulent lands that remained free of Marmo's control. First and foremost, the party of heroes set out to destroy Karla, who had initiated the war itself and still possess the body of Leylia. In their ultimate show down with they Grey Witch in the dreary castle, they managed to break her spell and severed her control over Leylia's body. In the battle, Ghim, the dwarf, died as he valiantly tried to save Leylia from Karla's clutches. But they did not destroy Karla or her circlet, and the Grey Witch took possession of Woodchuck, the thief, and escaped to the deserts of Flaim.

Also, take note that Parn and the others did not meet Shiris and Orson at this point. This encounter will occure five years later.

Within a few years, Parn and Deedlit, with the armies of Valis and Flaim, secured the free kingdoms and brought order across the land again. For five years Parn, the Freedom Knight, stood as the great champion and symbol of their freedom and prosperity. All was well in Lodoss, but not all of Lodoss was free. Parn knew that the lands occupied by Marmo would have to be freed, but it would be many years before they could amass such a war again.

While Parn and Deedlit worked to help the recovery of the war-ravaged lands, the other heroes went on with their lives as well. Etoh was wed to Princess Fianna, daughter of King Fahn, and together they became King and Queen of Valis. Slayn married the priestess Leylia, and a few years later, Leylia bore a daughter. She was named Neese, in honor of her grandmother who had been a hero in the war fought thirty-five years before. But into Little Neese was also born the reincarnated spirit of Neneel, the sorceress-priestess of Kardis, who had served in the Demon King's army against the original six heroes of long ago. This was known to Slayn and Leylia, for the descends of the elder Neese had been cursed by that dark witch. But that curse would be come their greatest ally in the war that was to come. The destiny of Little Neese would determine the fate of all of Lodoss...

All of the following, and some of the above, is from the Chronicles of the Heroic Knight series.

Second Age of Heroes
With Beld dead, Lord Ashram had become commander of the armies of Marmo with the sword Soul Crusher in hand. He knows that to rule all of Lodoss he would require on great artifact -- the Scepter of Domination. It was known that one of the Ancient Dragons held the Scepter, but he did not know which one. And so, Ashram and his party set of to find the artifact, and would let nothing stand in their way. Having slain the hibernating ice dragon Bramd, and not finding the Scepter in his cave, Ashram continues on to the layers of Abram and Shooting Star in the hopes of finding the Scepter of Domination as part of their vast treasures.

A Dream of Unity
Meanwhile, Parn and Deedlit are reunited with Slayn and Leylia, and meet up with the mercenaries Orson and Shiris. Slayn informs them of Ashram's ambitions, and the party sets off for Flaim to join forces with King Kashue. Kashue has reason to destroy Shooting Star. The evil dragon controls a vast, fertile region west of Flaim, which the people of Flaim badly need for farming, and Shooting Star had destroyed a new village recently built there. It is decided to split their forces into two parties -- one to eliminate Shooting Star and the other to go after Abram on Blue Dragon Island. If Ashram shows up at either place looking for the Scepter, at least one party will be there to stop him.

But on Marmo there were others with more sinister ambitions than even Ashram. Wagnard, the dark sorcerer, had placed spies in Ashram's party to retrieve for himself two parts of the Governor's Treasure. One, the Scepter of Domination so that he might rule all of Lodoss, and the other, the Soul Crystal Ball, which had the power to bring back the dead. Ashram, knowing of this treachery, watched his back at every move.

To Blue Dragon Islands
Orson with his party head off to the Free City of Raiden to acquire a ship which might take them to Blue Dragon Island, in the hopes of arriving before Ashram. But piracy is afoot in the waters off the coast of Raiden, and few captains are willing risk taking Orson and his friends to the island. Orson and Shiris decided that it would be best to eliminate the pirates themselves, and take the pirates' ships as their vessel for the journey to Blue Dragon Island. But the ship is no pirate ship at all, but a Marmo warship under Ashram's control. Orson, Shiris, Cecil, and Maar are taken captive, and thrown in the ships brig. With the prisoners still aboard, Ashram heads off to Blue Dragon Island to do battle with the water-dragon Abram.

It's Slaying Time
Meanwhile, in the lands west of Flaim, Parn, Kashue, and their army do battle with Shooting Star. But they are no match for the mightiest of dragons. They manage to inflict wounds upon the beast, but the dragon swears to "kill one hundred humans for every scale they have injured", and flies of to wreak his revenge.

Back on Blue Dragon Island, Ashram and his party manage to kill Abram after a fierce battle. But Abram does not have the Scepter. Groder, the mage who serves Wagnard, is pleased to find the Soul Crystal Ball. With the Crystal Ball, Ashram's party departs from Blue Dragon Island and return to Raiden. However, to Groder's dismay, one of their prisoner's (Maar) escapes, and steals the Soul Crystal Ball before jumping ship.

Having failed to destroy Shooting Star, Parn, Kashue, and Deedlit go to Raiden in the hopes of assisting Orson. There they learn form Slayn that Ashram has taken Orson and the other's prisoner. They find Maar, and he leads them to the place where the Marmo warship is anchored. After a brief battle, they defeat the crew, only to find that Ashram and his party have already departed. They free Orson and they others and head after Ashram, who is on his way for Fire Dragon Mountain.

Fire Dragon Mountain stands unguarded, for Shooting Star is away raining down his vengeance upon the city of Raiden. As much as Parn and Kashue would like to held defend Raiden from Shooting Star, they know they must also stop Ashram from getting the Scepter. And so, they have no choice but to follow after him while the city burns.

Battle at Fire Dragon Mountain
When Parn, Kashue, and their party arrive at Fire Dragon Mountain, Ashram and his people are already there. The two forces clash in heroic battle, sword to sword, magic to magic, as the warriors match their mettle and the wizards test their wills. But all the while, Ashram has made his way deeper into the volcanic mountain, in the hopes of reaching the Scepter first, while Shooting Star is still away.

In the course of the climactic battle, Orson unleashes the rage of his Hyuri spirit, and becomes a berserker to save Shiris from the enemies. Unable to control his fighting rage, he charges blindly against the sinister skeleton armies and Ashram's powerful warriors. He his fatally wounded, but fights on, killing every enemy that stands in his way. His life was over, but he died saving the one he truly loved. When the battle was over, Ashram's fighters had been defeated, but the heroes were not without their losses.

As Shiris morns over the lose of Orson, Parn, Kashue, Deedlit, and the other venture into Fire Dragon Mountain after Ashram. Shooting Star returns as well, having sensed the intrusion. Kashue convinces Ashram that they can only hope to survive if they join forces and kill Shooting Star together. Once the dragon is dead, they can settle their differences in the duel to the death. Reluctantly, Ashram and agrees. Throwing everything they have, the group of heroes attack the ancient dragon Shooting Star. Summoning great spells of magic, powerful elementals, and blessings of the gods, they are finally able to defeat the terrific foe. Blasting the volcanic floor out from under the dragon, Shooting Star plummets into the boiling lava, and dies.

Hero Verses Hero
But all is not over. Ashram and Kashue turn and engage each other in singular combat for possession of the Scepter of Domination. In the battle, both heroes are wounded, though Ashram more seriously than Kashue. Nevertheless, Ashram struggles his way to the Scepter and breaks it lose from the crystal it is trapped within. Parn, seeing this, attacks Ashram and knocks the Scepter from his hands. To everyone's horror, the Scepter spins through the air and falls into the lava, lost forever.

Mortified by his failure and lost dreams of conquest, Ashram makes his way to the edge of the volcanic rift. There he takes the final step and falls into the depths of the volcanic chasm, down to the hellish lava below. But unknown to all, the wizard Groder has been watching it all in silence. The sorcerer teleports Ashram from his doom just moments before he falls into the lava.

Ashram and his followers had been defeated. Shooting Star and Abram had been slain. The Scepter of Domination had been destroyed, and the Soul Crystal Ball was in the hands of our heroes. Both Ashram's and Wagnard's ambitions had been spoiled, if only for the moment. All of Lodoss had again been saved.

A New Legend Begins
Ten year have passed since the battle at Fire Dragon Mountain. Kanon and parts of Alania have been under the tyrannical control of Marmo for over fifteen years, since the War of Heroes climatic end. In Alania, the treacherous Duke Raster, ally to the Marmo, has made his move to bring all of Alania under his control. Should the rest of Alania fall, the Marmo would have opened for them a gateway to storm into the kingdoms of Flaim and Valis.

King Kashue has made plans to send his armies into Alania, and make sure Duke Raster and his Marmo allies are crushed, before they can take control of the entire kingdom. But Marmo controlled Kanon poses a direct threat to Valis. Parn and Deedlit have plans of their own to liberate Kanon, but the threat posed by Duke Raster is an even greater concern. Once Raster has been overthrown, and the Marmo threat removed from Alania, Flaim and Valis would then together turn their attention to freeing Kanon, and crush the last of the Marmo forces on Lodoss.

The Soul Crystal Ball
But ambitions were also high on Marmo. The evil wizard Wagnard, High priest of Kardis, had plans to resurrect the ancient goddess in the belief that she would grant him every power of magic. To perform the rites to resurrect her, he would have to have three things -- the Soul Crystal Ball, the Staff of Life, and the life sacrifice of the "Doorway", who held the reincarnated spirit of the High Priestess of Kardis (Leylia or her daughter, Little Neese). But only Little Neese was 'pure', and thus she was the "Doorway".

Dark Elves under the command of Wagnard break into the Treasury House of Castle Akroyd in Blade, capital of Flaim, and steal the Soul Crystal Ball. Spark, a brash young knight in training, attempts to stop them, but fails, and the dark elves escape. After talking with Slayn, Parn and King Kashue learn of Wagnard's plans, and know the he will next try to obtain the Staff of Life which is being held in the Temple of Falis in Valis. Kashue assigns Spark the task to pursuing the dark elves (who are on their way to Valis as well), and to attempt to recover the Soul Crystal Ball. He also gives Spark a message to deliver to King Etoh, telling Etoh of Wagnard's plans to steal the Staff of Life.

Off Once More
Spark and his party (Garrack, Leaf, Greevus, and Aldonova) set off at once. But unbeknownst to them, they are being followed by a cloaked figure. She is none other than Slayn and Leylia's daughter, Little Neese, who is the Doorway and whose destiny is the destiny of all Lodoss.

At a southern fortress in Flaim, Spark receives more information about the dark elves who were spotted by two people in the desert (Randy and Ryna). Randy had been greatly injured, and Ryna feared for his life. When Greevus, priest of Myrii, tries to heal Randy, a sadistic magical booby-trap set by the dark elves is sprung, and Randy's body transforms into a gigantic hydra. During the battle, Neese appears and with her holy magic turns the hydra into dust.

Darkness Rising
Meanwhile, Duke Raster has made his big push to conqure the rest of Alania. His forces, along with contingents of Marmo mercenaries, storm into the free northern provences of Alania. Master Cecil and the troops under his command fight valiantly to protect the city of Zaxon. But Raster's army is too strong, and Cecil is force to withdraw to the town of Tarba, high in the White Mountains.

Hearing reports of the Dark Elves who stole the Soul Crystal Ball, Spark and the others set off on their persuit again. But when they finally defeat them, they do not find the Crystal Ball. The party then sets off once more to complete their mission to deliver the message from King Kashue to King Etoh, with the hopes of securing the Staff of Life in Valis.

Culmination of Conflict
Meanwhile, Parn and Deedlit make their way to Marmo occupied Kanon, and make contact with the Free Army, lead by Prince Reona (rightful heir to the throne of Kanon), who oppose the Marmo. It is their hope to liberate Kanon and drive the armies of Marmo back to their dark island. But at the same time, the ruling council of Marmo has decided to replace the mad dictator, Rabido, who governs the Marmo territories of Kanon, due to his excess, greed, and personal ambition. Ashram himself, along with Pirotess, are dispatched to "deal with the situation". Both Parn and Ashram seek to bring order to Kanon, each in their own ways, and little do they know their destines are about to cross once more...

Rabido orders his army to crush the Free Army once and for all, despite Ashram's orders for him to stand down as governor. Rabido also orders for all the villagers to be killed and the capital city to be burned down should the Free Army win. Aware of this, Ashram personally frees the villagers and sends them out of harms way. In the battle against the Free Army, Rabido is defeated, and killed by Prince Reona. Parn and Deedlit make it to the capital, only to find it abandoned. There they encounter Ashram and Pirotess, and Parn engages Ashram in combat. The Dark Knight defeats him, but spares Parn's life out of respect.

In Alania, King Kashue's army continues their push to defeat Duke Rastor. They succeed in driving his forces back to Alan, the capital city, and there surrounded it to lay seige. For weeks, Rastor continues to refuse to surrender, and King Kashue is forced to face him to put an end to his tyranny. With ease, Kashue slays Rastor, feeing all of Alania.

Spark and the others make it to Roid, capital of Valis, and deliver the message to Etoh. In Roid they stumble upon Marmo agents planning to capture the Staff of Life, held in the Temple of Falis, but their discovery comes too late. In order to stop Wagnard once and for all, Spark and Little Neese know they must face him. Together, they and their comrads set off for the Marmo occupid territories of Kanon.

Liberation
The party makes its way through Kanon, and they meet up the Parn, Deedlit, and the Free Army, who are still fighting to liberate the beseiged kingdom. But during a banquet celebration, the sinister wizard, Wagnard, appears and captures Neese. Spark is powerless to stop him, for the Dark Necromancy is far to powerful. He watches in horror as Wagnard kidnaps her, and teleports himself back to his castle, Conquera, on Marmo.

Moving on with their plans, Parn, Spark, and the others, along with the Free Army, make their way to Rood, the major port city of Kanon, to secure the coast in preperation to invade Marmo. King Kashue and King Etoh also depatch their armies to join them.

The Free Army of Kanon storms the city of Rood and breaches the city wall. In the decisive battle, the Marmo forces are pushed back to the port, and withdraw in their ships. Ashram himself makes a hasty escape aboard his flagship, leading his soldiers back to Marmo. In his heart, Ashram knows he is defeated and can only watch as his dreams of uniting Lodoss crumble. But his true desire is only to save his people, the people of Marmo. And to that end he begins planning their exodus from Lodoss.

The Isle of Marmo
Parn, Spark, and the others follow quickly after, taking a ship of their own to Marmo, where in the Castle Conquera, Wagnard still holds Neese, preparing for the terrible ritual which will resurrect the Dark Goddess of Destruction. But the island of Marmo is hostile place, and the group of heroes must battle their way through swamps and hordes of monsters. Finally, to their dismay, they face down with the most terrifying foe of all... The Black Dragon Narse!

The heroes fight valiantly, but Narse is too powerful for them. But just before the Black Dragon finishes them off, Shiris, Queen of Moss and leader of the Dragon Riders, arrives with the Dragon Riders at her side. They take up the battle against Narse while Spark, Parn, and the others make their way further towards the Castle Conquera. The Golden Dragon Mycen soon joins the fight against Narse, and the mighty dragon of light quickly slays the evil dragon of Marmo.

As the party continues onward to Conquera, they are intercepted by Karla, the Grey Witch, who has been manipulating events to keep the balance of Lodoss in check. She has seen that, despite all her attempts to control the kings and kingdoms of Lodoss, the scales of balance have fallen out of order. She knows that Parn and his allies are too strong, just as Wagnard has become too strong. If he resurrects Kardis, all of Lodoss will be destroyed, and Darkness will reign supreme. But if Parn and the other stop him, the forces of Light will stand victorious. She, the keeper of eternal Grey, asks Parn and the others to give up their lives. She swears to them that if they do, she will destroy Wagnard for them, and stop the resurrection of Kardis. But they refuse her deal, and push on, confident that they will be able to overcome the dark sorcerer on their own.

Castle Conquera
With little opposition, the party makes their way into Castle Conquera, and begins down a labyrinth interior. Along they way they encounter Ashram and Pirotess, who are making final preparations to depart from Marmo and leave Lodoss with their followers. Parn once more engages Ashram in combat, while Spark and the others continue through Conquera to find Neese. But in their dual, the two heroes find they are equally matched, and neither truly wishes to kill the other, for they have come to understand that each of them is fighting for what he believes in. Ashram, his ambitions of ruling a united Lodoss now only a distant memory, wishes only to take his lost people from Marmo and sail away to find a new country to begin again. Parn and Ashram put their swords away, and the opposing heroes part company, never to see each other again. Ashram and his followers set sail for the Great Unknown...

Witches, Warlocks, and Worse
Meanwhile, deep within the heart of Conquera, Wagnard draws his terrible ritual to a close. The soul of the evil priestess Neneel awakens within her, conjured by the necromantic invocations. Naneel traps Neese in the prison of her mind and takes control over her body, awakening from her generations of slumber!

All too late, Spark and the others burst in on the ritual, only to see the last, terrible rites are underway. Karla has appeared, and just as she had promised, she now assists Wagnard in the resurrection of Kardis, believe it to be key for balancing Light and Dark. The Heroes rush forth, desperate to stop the ceremony and save Neese.

In a desperate attack, Spark and Garrack make a rush Wagnard, but the dark sorcerer strikes Garrack down, killing him. Just as Garrack falls, Spark plunges his sword through Wagnard's chest. The sorcerer dies screaming, disintegrating in the maelstrom of the sinister powers that explode chaotically from his dying body. Calmly, Karla continues the chat, unphased by Leylia's plea to stop. Moments before the last words of the incantation are spoken, Parn comes down with is sword and knocks the enchanted circlet from her head, freeing the victim the Grey Witch had possessed and put to an end her invocation.

And yet, even as they begin to celebrate their victory, the sky darkens, the air fills with terror, and the ground trembles in fear. Neneel, the High Priestess of Kardis, whose soul was reincarnated within Neese, has awakened and it is she who finishes the calling to her dark goddess! Kardis the destroyer has awakened, and the spirits of darkness are unleashed upon the world!

Dark Goddess Awakens!
Black clouds expand form Marmo, sweeping over all of Lodoss. Terrible Death Spirits swarm from the temple of Kardis in Conquera, killing thousands in the raving plight of final doom. All have given up hope... All but one. Spark, sill desperate to save Neese, charges the Dark Goddess even as she manifests before him in all her horrific glory. As the body of Neese/Neneel sinks back into a netherworldly ream of the dark goddess, Spark jumps after her, landing the strange, dreamy plane where Neeses's soul is held captive. There he faces both Neneel and Neese, and learns of their duel nature. Both are one, inseparable and the same -- Neneel a priestess of the dark goddess Kardis, and Neese a young priestess of the earth goddess Marfa -- both deities mortal enemies, and yet, inseparable and the same. Spark inspires Neese not to give up, and she fights on they only way she can -- seeming to surrender, she opens herself to Naneel, and the dark priestess gladly takes possession of her soul. Both souls become one, and Neese surrounds the dark essense of Naneel, trapping her. The dark priestess realizes her mistake, but it is too late.

Final Victory
Marfa, the holy goddess of earth, has been summoned by Neese, and in a rainbow of light descends from the heaven's to unite with Kardis, just as Neese united her soul with Naneel. The Dark Goodess and Earth Mother become as one, and the powers of darkness are sealed. The black clouds sweep away, the death spirits vanish from sight, and peace returns to Lodoss.

The heroes return victorious. Neese has been save, all of Lodoss has be freed from the shadow of Marmo, and the destruction the ressurrected Kardis would have wrought was averted. Parn is bestowed with the title "Knight of Lodoss" for his valor, and Spark is finally knighted by King Kashue. All is well once more in Lodoss.

Age of Valor

This is currant age after the destruction of the evil Wagnard. Parn, Deedlit, and the others have returned to Valis as heroes. Lodoss has been saved, and all the lands are free again. But evil still plagues the land. With most of the Ancient Dragons dead, their treasures still remain to be exploited. The once prosperous land of Kanon lies in smoldering ruin, still pleuged by scattered bands of goblins and Marmo mercenaries who were unable to escape with Ashram. There is still much to be done and more battles to fight...

And, somewhere, the Grey Witch Karla plans her next game of pawns and kings...

Crystania and Beyond
Ashram and Pirotess escaped from Marmo, shortly before the awakening of Kardis. With them came dozens of ships, harboring refugees from Marmo and soldiers loyal to Ashram. It is their goal to find a new kingdom to call home, and find a country where they can begin again.

After weeks of travel, their supplies and food exhausted, Ashram and his fleet finally come to that new land -- a land called Cyrstania. Off the cost of Cyrstania, Ashram calls out to the gods. One of the gods of Crystania, Barbas, responds that if Ashram surrenders his body, he will let his crew come safely into Crystania. Ashram agrees, knowing Pirotess and his crew will die if he does not. And so, Barbas takes Ashram and allows Pirotess and the crew entrance.

Three hundred years passed. Pirotess, a long-lived dark elf, is still alive (and has changed her name to Chera). In the land of Crystania, Ashram sits upon a thrown, forever sleeping by Barbas's enchantment. As Ashram sleeps, Chera (Pirotess) waits for him to awaken. In truth, the evil god Barbas has expelled Ashram's soul from his body and into the Ring of Chaos. By this means, Barbas is able to resurrect himself into Ashram's body, and is able rule Crystania with an iron fist. Chera manages to steel the Ring of Chaos and flee, awaiting a time to save her lover from the clutches of the evil god.

Meanwhile, in Djana En, chaos brews. Djana En is part of the same continent as Crystania, but separated by a great wall (the Rampart of the Gods). Djana En is a chaotic land full of rebellions and wars. After the death of the King of Djana En, the Prime Minister makes a move for power, creating a new civil war. Raydon, nephew of the King, is forced to flee with his friends when his parents are killed by soldiers loyal to the Prime Minister. With him are Narsel the wizard, Adelisia, a Priestess of Rada, Orville, a mercenary warrior, and Lifan, an elementalist. They make it to the mythical land of Crystania and are allowed entrance. In Crystania, they meet up Chera and were-tiger Volks. Chera explains that Barbas has taken control, and has enslaved Crystania. Raydon, Chera, and the others fight to free the land from the dark god's control.

As Barbas control's Ashram's body, they cannot simply kill him. They must expel Barbas's soul and use the Ring of Chaos to restore Ashram's soul to his body.