In the Empire of Mori, deep in the slums of the Capital city Mori itself, Suicu, a resourceful young Shadar-Kai, receives a letter demanding he report to the factories as an indentured servant to pay off his parents' debts. Refusing to submit, he escapes and rescues a mischievous Nac Mac Feegle named No'-as-big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock Jock (Jock) from a traveling circus. Together, they journey to the docks, where they enlist two adventurers, Nessra and Arrash, to join them in a quest for gold and glory.
The group charters an aging smuggling vessel, The Sparrow’s Flight, to flee the city and set sail for the New Frontier! After three long months at sea, the party arrives at the coastal town of Brightwater and seeks out Captain Derek Halfheart at the guardhouse. The captain welcomes them and promises work the next day, arranging accommodations at the Green Dragon Inn.
While the party rests, Suicu transforms into a raven to scout the area, Nessra explores on foot, and Jock indulges in whisky, causing chaos at the bar. Unbeknownst to them, their arrival in Brightwater may set off events that will shape their destinies and unravel secrets buried in the shadows of the empire.