The King’s only legitimate son dies in a tragic accident. Without a successor and plagued by constant border strife and unrest, the medieval country of Rikfjord faces the threat of an uncertain future.

No woman has ever ruled in Rikfjord. Women are property to be married off as chattel or used to secure political alliances, not to govern or lead men in battle. Despite this, the aging King proclaims his daughter, Kilda, as the heir apparent.

The dominant religion, known as the Ignari, conspires with Rikfjord’s powerful nobility to undermine the King’s wishes and advance the King’s nephew, Aefrid, for the position. Upon the King’s death, Aefrid usurps the throne, sparking a civil war.

Open warfare gives way to siege after siege as the country enters a never-ending death spiral, neither side willing to budge on their demands. Various parties seek to influence events, engaging in espionage and employing sorcerers to gain any advantage over their opponents. Wiseards, waerloks, and wikans ply their craft for their lords and ladies in a malignant underworld of deception where all is not what it seems.

The battles ebb and flow, affecting all layers of society and tearing the country apart. Over time, the war and fate turn against Kilda, forcing her to flee Rikfjord. Yet she has not given up. When her son, Hendrik, comes of age, he champions her cause, reigniting a fire that has burned for a generation.