In northern Taldor, a masked man and a fresh-faced noble eager for adventure both seek the same target: a mysterious figure shrouded in mystery, with death following in his wake.
The Grey Earl, an automaton hiding his face and identity behind his mask and fake name, is looking for secrets to the ancient past he can no longer remember. Armed with sword, shield, and spells, he is looking for experts and historians who can help mend his fractured mind, doing what good he can along the way.
Lord Caspian Fauntleroy, a young Taldan nobleman with an iron will—when it comes to getting his way, at least—is setting out on his first adventure. No longer content with the sheltered teachings his family has placated him with for so long, he and his valet travel the countryside investigating the rumors of a dark harbinger of death.
 
And the Man the Crows Follow, the enigmatic figure at the center of it all. Is he a vile, fiendish necromancer like the rumors say? A grim portent of disaster whose passing spells doom for those he meets?
 
Three separate paths cross in this tale of rural superstition, the first of many featuring the characters of The Grey Earl and Lord Caspian Fauntleroy on their adventures.