The Kingdom of Zad has started to suffer the effects of drought. The once reliable Rud-e Bârik, a narrow river to the north, has become a mere trickle and can no longer provide the people what they need. Making matters worse, the king has fallen ill. Bedridden, he is told of a prophecy, confirmed by the Magi priests, that the world will undergo a violent transition as the forces of good and evil vie for supremacy. Whether or not light prevails over darkness depends on the King's gangly and pecul