The Five Artifacts were gifts from the Quickening Spirit to the first five nations of the world: Arctic Fox, Crow, Lemming, Raccoon and Snow Goose. Lost to Time, the Artifacts became the stuff of legend as more animal nations learned the power of language and the tools of civilization. Pindlebryth, Prince of Lenland, awakens to discover the people of his entire nation have been enslaved by a forgotten enemy. He soon learns it is all but a part of a larger plot by an unknown nemesis to use the mystical Artifacts to remake the entire world in their own image. Pindlebryth, and Lenland's untried sorceress Darothien, struggle against betrayal, international intrigue, and an unseen puppetmaster, as they race to follow a bewildering trail of ancient clues to locate the most powerful of the Artifacts.