It has been ten years since the magical
Cataclysm which destroyed the twin strongholds of two of the world's
most powerful Mages, killing Urtho, creator of the gryphons, and
sending his forces into exile. Ten long and hard years for Skandranon
Rashkae, the black gryphon, now bleached white by his stay in the
nether region between two collapsing Gates - the Gates which had
brought his people from the site of the most terrible mage-storm in
history to a place of relative safety.
Now Urtho's peoples - human and non-human alike - live in a terraced
city carved into the face of a gleaming white cliff on the edge of the
Western Ocean. It had taken them one year of terrible travail crossing
dangerous lands to find this sheltered haven, and nine hard years of
building, but their city, called White Gryphon after their unofficial
leader, is now a secure stronghold.
Secure, at least, until the fleet of the mysterious Black Kings
appears in their harbor, bringing envoys who inform the residents of
White Gryphon that their newfound home lies on the northern perimeter
of lands claimed by this powerful kingdom.
Desperate not to lose their hard-won home, Skandranon, along with
his longtime friend Amberdrake - Chief Kestra'chern and representative
of the humans of White Gryphon - agree to accompany the envoys back to
the Court of the Black Kings, hoping to negotiate an alliance. But once
settled in this strange Court, where ritual and complex forms of
etiquette rule all, Skandranon and Amberdrake soon become aware that
this negotiation will not be an easy one.
And when a high-ranking noble who opposes this alliance is found
murdered - seemingly torn apart y gryphon's talons - Skandranon and
Amerdrake realize that they are up against unkown enemies who will stop
at nothing, even the use of diabolical Blood Magic, to destroy White
Gryphon.
