Seven talisman stones were said to have been torn from Clovenstone, the fabled blue opal of power, in a past so ancient that is exists only in legend. Harpers sing of a once proud unified Kildonan before the "the time of The Darke." Now Kildonan is a patchwork of petty feudal kingdoms, warring with each other. Histories, libraries, creativity had disappeared. Only scraps of the poetry and prophecy sung by harpers hint at the past-and the future. A professional warrior, an herbalist, and a harper hope they have three of the ancient talisman stones. Together, with dreams of reunifying Kildonan, they start out on a quest to prove the prophecies and seize the mythical Clovenstone. A white bear, a flying cat, and a Little Person join them. The seekers decide to trek the land as a troupe of players, earning their way with shows of harper singing and magic tricks. Thieves, sucking bogs, border wars plague the rag-tag troupe. Storms at sea, attacks from horrible creatures...will they all survive? Is there really a Clovenstone?