Being the noble of a manor has its perks: you can enjoy feasts, fine entertainment, and even correspondence chess games with the king himself. Of course, there are many responsibilities that come with ruling over a castle and countryside too. 

The Cruel Guardians is an epic, 187,000 word interactive fantasy novel by Samwise Harry Young, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

You must keep ambitious bandits in check; hold court and consider your subjects' many requests and problems; and navigate a complex political world where making one group or individual happy often means making another discontent. 

Yet no one ever prepared you for being haunted by a powerful and mysterious demon, or contending with a group of new radicals called anarchists. The demon seems intent on terrorizing you into adopting her own moral code, and the anarchists will never be content until they've toppled feudal society, starting with your own humble manor. 

• Play as Lord, Lady, or Noble; romance whoever you want. You're the ruler, after all! 

• Romance a sly spymaster; a witty servant; a clever advisor; a chivalrous general; a passionate fire priest;  or even the anarchist who wants to overthrow feudal society, including you.  

• Rule over your subjects with sympathy, pragmatism, or an iron fist. 

• Strive to maintain your sanity, and order in your domain as a demon tries to make you see things her way: voluntarily, or forcibly.

• Attempt to crush the anarchist revolution that's simmering just below the surface, or eventually discard your feudal loyalties altogether and join forces with them. 

Will you defeat your enemies first, or will they send your world crumbling down around you? Or, stranger yet, will you come to sympathize with their goals?