Our title refers to the Empire of Stem, the most powerful of three empires bound together by trade and military alliances. A nomadic army’s conquest of Stem threw the stability of all three empires into disarray.

The queen of Stem had been forcibly impregnated by the ruthless tyrant holding her as a prisoner. The queen secretly sent her champions on a mission to the Empire of Denin to ask the king for help with a planned revolt. The plan was to have Denin’s army attack the walls of Stem, coinciding with a revolt from within. Without Denin’s help, the revolt would fail. Their deadline was determined by the upcoming birth of the queen’s bastard child, only weeks away.

Garet, a gifted archer, had been prophesied to be the city’s liberator by his mother, purported to have the gift of sight, who was later burned as a witch. Garet was always skeptical of this destiny, although, in time, he could see where its pull was guiding him, as he saw events crystallize around his intended path.

The pilgrimage was challenged by marauding thieves, loss of life, and devious foreign mercenaries intent on stopping Garet’s mission. The talented Wizard of Stem accompanied Garet on his expedition and saved them from several ordeals, using illusion and trickery to clear their way. Eventually, they reached Denin to have an audience with the king.

With their deadline looming, King Tarnin was obstinate, not wanting to risk his empire to rescue another. Still, hearing of the queen’s offer of gold for his support had left him conflicted.

Garet led the revolt within, hoping for help from outside the city’s walls.