Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (also known as Dragon Quest VIII: Sora to Umi to Daichi to Norowareshi Hime in Japanese) is a game that begins with a protagonist who has no name at first (later referred to as Hero), a warrior tasked with maintaining peace in the kingdom of Trodain. He and his companions are forced to confront life-changing events when the evil sorcerer Dhoulmagus casts a cursed spell that transforms King Trode (the king of Trodain) and Princess Medea (the princess) into animals, and causes the royal palace and the village of Trodain to be completely destroyed. The protagonist, who remains human (later called "Hero"), along with Yangus (a former thief who has become a loyal companion), embarks on a journey to help King Trode and Princess Medea find a way to break the curse and stop Dhoulmagus' evil plans, which threaten to bring disaster to the world. Along the way, they encounter several other companions, such as Jessica Albert, a woman with magical powers seeking revenge for the destruction of her family, and Angelo, a priest with a complex past who often finds himself in troublesome situations.