Raised by his uncle, half-elven Toran struggles to control his barbarian heritage and fit into conservative elven society. When he releases his control to save a friend from a spell gone wrong, elven bigots force him into exile. Following his uncle's advice, he goes to Eridan and finds work at a rundown tavern in the city's seedy quarter. While watching a parade, Toran combines his keen elven senses and barbarian battle skills to thwart an assassination attempt on the future queen. His actions earn him an invitation to join the secret protectors of Eridan, the Warders, whose leaders own the tavern.
After the princess is poisoned, the Warders mobilize to save her and prevent war. Toran, a veteran dwarf agent, and the princess's lady in waiting embark on a mission to retrieve the antidote's key ingredient. Other agents infiltrate royal society and work with the thieves' guild to protect the comatose princess and capture the assassin. Working against them is the assassin's master, the sorceress Skade, who's also working with a traitor within the royal household.