Roses wither away

The Ostia Continent, the planet's sole and largest landmass, is an area where danger and opportunity coexist. Yet the once relatively peaceful existence here has grown unfamiliar with the emergence of monsters from the north. These creatures raised a grave threat to all races—humans, dwarves, and elves all fell victim to their slaughter and depravity. They took pleasure in desecrating flesh and plundering possessions. Some monsters even regarded other races as mere sustenance. Thus, war commenced. The human kingdoms, dwarf kingdoms, and even kingdoms bordering the north formed a mutual non-aggression pact. Seven fortresses were built along the frontiers to repel the monsters' incursions. Bound together by this alliance, these seven strongholds became known to the world as the Seven Shields! They stood as the most formidable shields against the monstrous hordes! The protracted war raged for a thousand years. No matter how many were slain, the monsters' numbers showed no sign of diminishing. Driven to desperation, the Human Kingdom invoked a law dormant for millennia, permitting the emergence of Pioneer Knights! And this tale starts in the domain of one such Pioneer Knight—Sivash.