From the introduction: You've come to a very dark place, Jumper. I hope you can steel your nerves. This is the continent of Jugdral, with a history blackened by the theocratic Loptyr empire in service of an ambitious Earth Dragon (who used this land as an escape from a war of extermination by enemy Divine Dragons) and its followers crushing all who opposed them. With the corpses of heroes and powerful foes raised into its servants, undead champions known as Deadlords...it seemed like the rule of Loptyr would last eternal. It was only the intervention of Loptyr's enemies, these Divine Dragons (with Naga leading the charge) that struck a blow towards the Lopt Empire. These dragons formed a pact with the twelve leaders of a revolutionary force against the Lopt empire, blessing their bloodlines to be the only ones capable of wielding the now-legendary Crusader Weapons. These weapons carried the power of the godly dragons within them, and with them a single warrior could strike down armies with the ease of a scythe against grass. The Empire fell overnight, with their "god" Loptyr sealed and their number purged from the world...for a while, it almost seemed as if they could move into an age of peace.