To prove himself worthy of his beloved Goldmoon, Riverwind is sent on quest by the elders of his tribe. The quest seems impossible: In a godless land, Riverwind must find evidence of the true gods.

Accompanied by an eccentric soothsayer and an escaped slave girl, Riverwind is soon caught in a world of slavery, sorcery, and rebellion. He and his friends must fight their way to Xak Tsaroth, but the companions are stalked by fate and prophecy: one will go mad, one will die, and one will find glory.