About the book: 1996 / Among the people of the West who now gather in this castle, there is one peasant youth named Rolf, born here in the Ruined Lands. Now he Always and everywhere he carries with him something that needs to be taken from him. It must be delivered to Highborn Charmiana - and no one else - in the Black Mountains, and quickly. If the young man goes off to fight, what we are looking for may be lost. The Western forces here are too great for me or anyone else to take this thing by force; need to resort to theft.