The cooper Kharl has no sooner taken possession of the estate bestowed upon him by Lord Ghrant of Austra as thanks for his aid in quelling the revolt of Ghrant's dispossessed brother, when he is summoned back to the capital. Hagen, his friend the lord chancellor, needs help in dealing with rebellious nobles. After a bloody campaign, in which Kharl discovers and is forced to use even more deadly order magery, civil order is restored and Ghrant's throne firmly secured. To his surprise, Kharl is soon called upon again by Lords Ghrant and Hagen, this time to return to his homeland of Nordla as envoy. Nordla has become the next target of Hamorian expansion. Back in his hometown of Brysta, Kharl discovers that his old enemy Egen - the local heir apparent - is engaged in plot with the Hamorians to take the throne from his father and open Nordla to the enemy. Kharl has to find a solution, for the sake of both the land of his birth and his adopted new country.