Terjal Rakmir, Headmaster of Cloudreach, is content to spend his days schooling pupils in the Conjurer's art. However, when a direspawn (a creature brought over from another plane) wreaks havoc, gruesome death and destruction upon the lands, Terjal is immediately pressed into service by Cloudreach's patron, Lord Vaukmond, Duke of Windemere and Protector of the Realm of Ryndorhn. Lord Vaukmond, the Warrior Duke, distrusts magic yet has no conventional means of destroying the direspawn. With his former pupil, Aiya Lindsmund (now Adjutant to Lord Vaukmond), and his three Blades, Terjal sets out...