Just when Baron Minalan the Spellmonger figured out there was a slim chance to restore his mind-shattered wife, Alya (if he's willing to journey to the undercaverns of Olum Seheri, the lair of Korbal the Necromancer), things start to go awry: not only does Prince Tavard, his unloved liege lord, decide to conduct an official state visit to Sevendor on pilgrimage to the Everfire on the Briga's feast day, but a mysterious seamage appears at his door with an intriguing offer from the Sea Folk who rule Callidore: They want to buy snowstone. An entire mountain of it.  Between feuding factions of Alka Alon and the contentious nobility of his own kingdom, Minalan is already in arcane intrigue up to his pointy hat, but when the foremost wizard of the age has problems, he also has resources. Before the pilgrimage concludes it sets mighty actions in their courses, and even the gods elect to intervene publicly in Minalan's life.  Minalan realizes that he has little choice but to consider an impossible quest into the heart of his enemy's realm, to the caverns of the dead, themselves, if he is to resolve the many conflicts in play. He must recover an ancient artefact of the Sea Folk known as the Handmaiden, and in order to do so he will have to organize the most audacious raid on the most horrific foe in humanity's history on Callidore! Who else but Minalan the Spellmonger has the magic stones to challenge the undead might of the Necromancer!