A first installment in a spin-off story arc places hero Drizzt in a new era of the Forgotten Realms, where while facing the life-threatening first stirrings of the Sundering, he reflects on the lives of trusted allies who stood by his side throughout his early life.

The god-defeating Aoelyn and Talmadge, the trader she saved at the cost of everything personal, become the defenders of their land when a fallen empire of fanatics reemerges to claim the world they believe is their own.

The Arcane Brotherhood has long held the city of Luskan in their power, but when corruption eats away at their ranks, Captain Deudermont comes to the rescue of a city that has become a safe haven for the Sword Coast's most dangerous pirates. But rescuing a city from itself may not be as easy as Deudermont thinks, and when Drizzt can't talk him out of it, he'll be forced to help.