On his way to his betrothal, young Lord Penric comes upon a riding accident with an elderly lady on the ground, her maidservant and guardsmen distraught. As he approaches to help, he discovers that the lady is a Temple divine, servant to the five gods of this world. Her avowed god is the Bastard, "master of all disasters out of season", and with her dying breath she bequeaths her mysterious powers to Penric.

Soren, an ambitious wizard. Belwynn, his twin sister, who shares a telepathic link with him. Rabigar, an exile of the Krykker race. Elana, a mysterious priestess. Moneva, a killer with a dark past. And a host of mercenaries, sorcerers, knights, dukes, kings, and strange new races. Who will lay claim to the weapons? Who can be trusted? And as war comes to Dalriya, who will take a stand against the dark forces that have been unleashed on the land?

Kanar Reas, an ex-soldier known as the Blackheart, hides a dangerous secret. Exiled from the Realmsguard, he wants nothing to do with the kind of magic that destroyed his life. That is until his team of mercenaries is offered a job they can’t refuse.

One hundred years ago, the Eternals, 13 men and women closer to gods than mortals, stood against the greatest threat the world had ever faced. They died. All save for one who managed to flee with the enemy leader’s weapon, a cursed blade of incredible power. This is a battle he fights alone, for after they defeated the Eternals, the enemy used their magic to pose as their conquered opponents, taking over rule of the world in their stead. For the last 100 years, the people have believed that the legendary Eternals triumphed, that they are safe. Only the wanderer knows the truth .

Contains books one and two of Legend of Tal, a sword-and-sorcery, coming-of-age adventure.