A man found at verge of death in the high mountain passes of the Teeth of Almara is given refuge in an isolated scriptorium and monastery. An priest named Chadwick is intrigued by the stranger and the evocative words he speaks, words like those of a prophet. Once he regains consciousness, the man called Dorian Caladrian proves Chadwick's assumptions.

After a long sojourn beyond the mountains in foreign realms, Caladrian has returned to his homeland with a message from the One True God, Davene the Uncontainable. The prophet has returned and his message will shake the foundations of the world.