Mascardi Berio, a former Knight of the kingdom of Lothen, despises landmen. Leaving all titles behind, though hard earned, he embarks on a journey to the so called forbidden seas of the south in order to clear the islands of the swarming monsters that are said to terrorize them. Mascardi swore an oath in the name of the king to see through this most important mission. Alas, seafarers have vows of their own kind, and a captain is king, law and executioner in his own vessel.