Nearly 300 years after the reign of King Roald I and Queen Shinkokami, Tortall has risen to the height of its power. The Realm is both peaceful and prosperous, its enemies quelled for the time being. Together with their Yamani allies, Tortallan explorers have discovered distant and fruitful lands at the westernmost edge of the Emerald Ocean: the Western Reaches. In the past hundred years, Tortall has remained a dominant presence in the Western Reaches. Yet new lands and new profits have lured more than just Tortallans and Yamani looking for a new start––the seas are now infested with pirates and privateers of every nationality and interest.

Under the rule of Queen Amedessa of Conté, Tortall continues to grow in both power and wealth. But Amedessa and her two sisters mark the end of the Conté line; leaving Amedessa with the weighty responsibility of deciding to whom the Crown will go to next. Determined to rule her country to the best of her ability, this looming responsibility marks Amedessa's one true fear as it is a decision that could ultimately ruin the monarchy she has tried so hard to strengthen and glorify.