Aglirta is known as the Kingless Land--once prosperous and peaceful, it has now fallen into lawlessness, studded with feuding baronies engaged in a constant state of war. The only hope for peace lies in the legend of the Sleeping King: destined to rise and restore peace when the Dwaerindim stones are recovered.

Lady Embra Silvertree is the sorceress daughter of a bellicose baron with an eye towards world domination. She has been imprisoned by her father who hopes to use her as a magical battery to fortify his castle. When a pair of good natured rogues attempt to steal one of her jewel encrusted gowns, they are quickly enlisted as allies to help her escape and, with the aid of a shape-shifting cleric, to seek out the Dwaerindim.

Ed Greenwood is the creator of the Forgotten Realms® fantasy setting, an award-winning game designer, and a best-selling author whose fantasy novels have sold millions of copies worldwide in more than thirty languages.Once hailed as “the Canadian author of the great American novel,” Ed is a large, bearded, jolly librarian who lives in an old farmhouse crammed with over 80,000 books in the Ontario countryside, and is often mistaken for Santa Claus in disguise. Many gamers think he resembles Elminster, but Ed insists he did not model the Old Mage on himself.Ed was elected to the Academy of Adventure Gaming Art & Design Hall of Fame in 2003 and has been a judge for the World Fantasy Awards. His most popular series include the Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy and the Elminster Saga published by Wizards of the Coast, the Band of Four series from Tor Books, and the Falconfar books from Solaris.

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â??Ed Greenwood is a master of fantasy adventure world-building. His magic and wizardry are wondrous to all!â? â??Margaret Weis, New York Times bestselling author

â??Creating fantasy requires imagination and a deft, but subtle hand, which Ed Greenwood has long showed himself capable of in his creation of the Forgotten Realms world. Ed's skill lies in his ability to make the ordinary magickal, and integrating magick and legends so thoroughly in his work. His sense of humor and drama combine in wonderful adventure tales with depth and pacing that makes his books single sitting treasuresâ? â??Michael Stackpole, New York Times bestselling author and award-winning game designer