Hallam Ealdwalla rides out from his small hometown to see a little of the world. When a runaway aristocrat from the Walled City of Moy Mocruimé needs his help, the quiet tour he planned turns into an adventure he'd never imagined.

Rulers of a secret city send Hallam, his new friend Amabilis, and a few companions to caution the monarchs of Ballina aboutdanger from Moy Mocruimé. But Amabilis and the Ballinat Queen are mysteriously killed before the Walled City's assault can be turned aside.

More than one oracle, the Council of Sorcerers, and an array of ghosts, Desert Tribes, and Marshers join Ballina's army to bring the corrupt Mocruiman regime of the Byr-Illion line to its prophesied doom. History, reputations, and peace are restored ... and life will never be the same again.