The Last Hearth
On the very edge of the northern lands of the Sphere, where the breath of winter becomes eternal, the powerful sorcerer Ryut once lived. He dedicated his life to studying the very essence of cold, though he hated it with all his soul. To protect himself from the elements, he erected a crystal sphere—a perfect glass cocoon, within which lay his warm and cozy home. From there, he watched the blizzards, only occasionally venturing into the icy world for his dangerous research.
But one night, the peace was shattered. A band of demons descended on the fragile refuge. The sorcerer fought back desperately and furiously, but the forces were too great. Wounded, realizing he could not resist for long, Ryut cast his final spell. He sealed both himself and his killers within his own creation, turning the refuge into both a trap and a crypt.
Since then, the glass sphere, once a beacon of hope and knowledge, has stood as a black, silent tomb. No one knows what happens behind its frosted, opaque panes. The lights in the house went out many years ago. Terrifying rumors circulate that the sorcerer was unable or unwilling to die in his icy sarcophagus. They say he, driven mad by pain, loneliness, and dark magic, continues his experiments—this time on those who came to kill him.
