Once upon a time, there was a teeny-tiny village. The village was ruled by an evil sorcerer named Sumac. Sumac was a cruel and vile leader, and he ruled the little village from the safety of his cabin far in the woods—tucked out of sight. Shhhhh! One day, a benevolent witch named Lychnis found herself in the village. She knew very well of Sumac's cruelty and thirst, but the villagers were ignorant. Happy, even. They danced in the town square, and the smells of freshly baked pies and bread lingered in the air. But it was only a matter of time before the streets were painted scarlet. She feared for the people of that little village. Lychnis decided to take measures into her own hands. She reached out to the king of the land, pleading with him to aid her in defeating the cruel sorcerer of the forest. The king denied her call to action and sent the witch on her way.