Aided and abetted by a powerful family of wizards, the Obarskyr family has ruled Cormyr since its inception one and a half millennia ago. Now, Cormyr's benevolent king, Azoun IV, lies overcome by a deadly malady from which he may not recover. When the vultures begin to circle, hoping to usurp the throne for their own, many question the loyalty of the king’s wizard and advisor, Vangerdahast. It is against this crisis of state that the history of the Forest Kingdom unfolds, relaying the previously untold story of a nation, its rulers, and its wizards.