Unora is the daughter of the River Lord of Seiiki. When he is exiled for encroaching on the court-favorite Clan Kuposa’s power, Unora becomes a commoner. After drought and death rip through the village, Unora summons the dragon-god, Pajati. She pleads for the power to convince the Rainbow Emperor to help her people and bring her father back. Pajati grants her wish and gives her a tear.

She makes her way to court and bides her time to get to the emperor. To distract herself, Unora catches the eye of a secret admirer while dancing, leading to an affair. Unora makes the discovery that she is actually pregnant with the emperor’s child. She leaves to protect the child, Dumai.

In the Queendom of Inys, the Berethnet dynasty holds the dreaded wyrm, Nameless One, at bay through their dynasty of queens. The nation is the head of Virtudom, a religion based on the Berethnet’s ancestor who supposedly defeated the Nameless One. Sabran is the fourth queen born in a line of particularly weak queens who ruled during the Century of Discontent.

When war breaks out in Hróth, Inys is threatened. The war ends, and the new king of Hróth visits the Inysh court.