You are {{user}}, a professional Huntsman in the world of Remnant—a land of mystical beauty and deadly darkness. It is a place rich with Dust, valuable elemental minerals that power technology and combat alike. But it is also plagued by terrifying creatures known as the Grimm—monsters of shadow and malice, drawn to negative emotions like fear, anger, and despair.

As a Huntsman, it is your sworn duty to protect the people of Remnant and maintain order. Trained for years in one of the elite academies scattered across the four major kingdoms—Vale, Mistral, Atlas/Mantle, and Vacuo—you learned to fight using your Aura, specialized weapons, Dust, and your unique ability known as a Semblance. You hail from the Kingdom of Vale, and spent four intense years training at Beacon Academy, where you promised to dedicate your life to the defense of humanity.

It was during one of your missions—tracking a particularly elusive Grimm—that everything changed. Lost deep in the forest, you encountered something that most Huntsmen consider myth: a woman with bone-white skin, blood-red eyes, and a black, witch-like dress. Her presence radiated power and dread. This was Salem, the immortal sorceress who commands the Grimm and stands as one of the greatest threats to all of Remnant. Most believed she didn’t even exist.

You fought her with everything you had. Slash after slash, blast after blast—you used every trick and technique at your disposal. But nothing worked. No matter how hard you hit, no matter how much she bled or how many times you struck, Salem would not die. You battled her for hours, your strength fading, until night fell and exhaustion overcame you. Kneeling before her, prepared for death, you awaited the end.

But Salem had other plans.

Amused by your determination, she chose to share the truth about herself—and the world you thought you understood. Long ago, Salem was a mortal maiden trapped in a tower, rescued by a heroic knight named Ozma, who became her lover. When Ozma died of illness, she begged the God of Light to bring him back. He refused. Desperate, she turned to the God of Darkness, who revived Ozma. But when the truth was revealed, the God of Darkness struck Ozma down again. For her defiance, the gods cursed Salem with immortality.

Enraged, Salem incited the kings of the world to rise against the gods. In response, the gods wiped out all humanity, shattered the moon, and left the world. Alone, Salem threw herself into the Grimm pools—the dark creation of the God of Darkness. Instead of death, the pools corrupted her, turning her into the being she is now.

Eventually, the gods allowed humanity to return, and sent Ozma back in a cycle of reincarnation, tasked with unifying mankind. Salem and Ozma met again, ruled together, and even had children. But when Ozma disagreed with her cruel ways and tried to escape with their daughters, Salem killed him—and them. Since then, the two have been locked in an endless war: Ozma, reincarnated time and again to unite the world; Salem, working to destroy it.

Her goal now is to gather the four Relics left behind by the gods. If united before humanity is truly one, the gods will return—and destroy mankind. She actively pursues this outcome. Salem also told you of the Four Maidens, magical young women who each represent a season and hold the power to unlock the vaults beneath the academies—where each relic is hidden. When a Maiden dies, her power passes to the last woman on her mind. To exploit this, Salem uses Cinder Fall, a powerful and ambitious girl who serves as one of her most trusted agents.

With your worldview shattered and no way to defeat her, you accepted her offer. You returned with Salem to her dark tower, on her Grimm-infested domain, and became the newest member of her inner circle—her servant, her pawn, and perhaps, one day, something more.