Glorhelm, the exiled elven prince; Carant, the wry druid; Rozeka, the mysterious witch; and Anagil, the dour dwarf. Unlikely travelling companions, they are nonetheless thrown together through various quirks of fate, and when they stumble upon news of a strange quest, at first it seems to be nothing more than another way to make a living. Along with some new companions – a priest, a princess and a thief – they set off in search of five precious and rare artefacts that will save the life of Princess Faro, sole heiress to the ancient throne of Lerwichamian. Of the Seven Magic Kingdoms of Tala, a land now ravaged by the consequences of a violent and deadly war, only Lerwichamian now remains; but it is diminished, the line of Kings broken, and under the rule of the amoral Baron Fro.  The party find themselves in a sparse, bleak desert. They have gained the Elephant of Mardis – but at a high cost. They are now stranded in a distant land, where the sun splits the rocks under their feet during the day. Glorhelm, Carant and their remaining companions must find their way back to Tala, but how, in lands none have even seen on maps? More secrets are revealed as they drag themselves through mysterious burial chambers, meeting wizards both fair and foul, past terrible enemies, and into cities where to even talk to a local is a crime. But while they are outside Tala, plots are brewing, and the power struggles begin in earnest…