They use earth and fire magic to kill many of the skeletons and zombies but are frustrated by Hobarth. Robyn and Genna go to find the army in the form of eagles. The Earthmother calls Kamerynn the unicorn, who arrives at the grove, as does the sprite Yazilliclick. The army march on the grove, destroying forests and driving wildlife before them. Hobarth goes to Freeman's Down to raise the dead of the Battle of Freeman's Down. Hobarth raises Acorn's body to attack Robyn but Grunt kills the zombie. Newt throws away the Heart of Kazgoroth but Hobarth finds it. Acorn eventually assaults Robyn but is slain by her, using the power of the goddess. He appears in the guise of a helpless amnesiac feral druid, nicknamed Acorn by Robyn. Trahern, who still has the Heart of Kazgoroth, is recalled by Bhaal to attack the Moonwell. She lives at the druids' grove with Genna, Newt, and the great bear Grunt. Robyn is training as a druid under Genna Moonsinger. They confront the king but are captured by Cyndre. Leaving the others, Tristan and Daryth reach the king disguised as Scarlet Guard. Tristan's party are smuggled into the castle by fishing boat and taken in by O'Roarke's agent Devin and his daughter Fiona. They leave Pontswain behind as a hostage. O'Roarke reluctantly agrees to help them sneak into Caer Callidyrr. They are then captured by followers of O'Roarke and taken to Doncastle, O'Roarke's hidden capital in Dernall Forest. Tristan's party are hidden by Patriarch Trevor of Chauntea, who is later killed by the Scarlet Guard. They fight the assassins and win, but Razfallow escapes. Pawldo is also in Llewellyn and rescues them. The Scarlet Guard arrest Tristan's party at a bar. Cyndre has Reginald send the Scarlet Guard hunting for Tristan, who the wizards have foreseen coming. Tristan, Daryth, Canthus and Pontswain float away on the sacks and are picked up at sea by the bard Tavish and taken to Llewellyn on Alaron. The prophecy refers to a descendent of Cymrych Hugh who will become High King. Tristan encounters the spirit of Queen Alisynn who gives him a prophecy and returns the Sword of Cymrych Hugh, which he lost in the shipwreck. Daryth finds magic thieving gloves and floating sacks. They fight some Sahuagin and fall foul of a trap while entering the castle. This is the enchanted burial place of Alisynn, wife of the ancient hero Cymrych Hugh. Tristan, Daryth, Canthus and Pontswain are saved by the rising of the sunken castle Caer Alisynn. The ship is destroyed and the sailor Rodger dies. He curses the ship so it will rot when they travel, and summons a storm. Hobarth stumbles on Tristan's party in Kingsbay, preparing to travel by ship. They agree to seek a decision from the High King, although Tristan knows the High King's coins were found on the bodies of the assassins.īhaal has sent his cleric Hobarth to assassinate Robyn Moonsinger. The kingship is not hereditary and Tristan's main rival is Pontswain – a greedy cantrev lord who sat out the Darkwalker War but has more administrative experience than Tristan. The assassins attempt to kill Tristan but his father dies in his place. Tristan is still drinking and arguing with his father. The wizards send assassins led by the half-orc Razfallow – Daryth's former master – to kill all claimants to the thrones of the Moonshae Isles. A group of duergar also invade the tunnels below the castle with Cyndre's support, slaughtering the local svirfneblin gnomes. A dispossessed noble, Hugh O'Roarke, is leading a Robin Hood-style resistance from Dernall Forest. At their behest, the High King has created a mercenary army, the Scarlet Guard, which includes a troop of ogres. The wizards can see from a distance using a magical mirror. The other wizards are Alexei, Kryphon (who uses crystals), Doric (an emotionally unstable female fire mage), and the weaker wizards Talraw, Wertam and Karianow. Cyndre is also under the influence of Bhaal. Reginald Carrathal, High King of the Ffolk, who rules from Caer Callidyrr, also on Alaron, has fallen under the enchantment of a cabal of seven evil wizards led by Cyndre. The druids of Alaron have been murdered by Hobarth, a cleric of Bhaal. He is gradually destroying the power of the Earthmother. The god Bhaal wants revenge on Tristan Kendrick and his allies for killing Kazgoroth.