Summary
Arik, from the port city of Rin Tanuki in Os-Var-Khai, arrives at the Temple of the Creator in Var with a message for Emperor Ku from his city's Kahn. Ku reads the message aloud, telling that a ship called the Seastar has returned with a story of a castle called Metamor Keep, its inhabitants transformed into half-human animals, similar to the Temple residents. Ku sends for three servants — Ye, Mong Ho, and Wasoko Desuka — to be gifted to Metamor Keep. He takes aside Arik, and tells him that his astrologers have predicted an invasion from the east. Though his kingdom has been preparing for disaster, other parts of the island of Khumar have ignored the warning. Arik volunteers to help him search for allies, and Ku offers to give him the same education as the monks, and be transformed into an animal, to Arik's excitement.
While Arik is transforming into a beaver and studying magic, an alarm sounds. Ships have been spotted on the horizon, approaching Kin Tanuki. Ku sends the dragon Chinso to warn the Kahn, and Arik volunteers to accompany him. At first, Froebel Kahn fails to recognize Arik and initially disparages the stories, but quickly rallies his troops when he sees the invaders swimming towards the shore. The Kahn's men are easily slaughtered, and the village is wiped out, all except for the Kahn himself. He is brought before the leader, Aqualo, but before he can be killed, Arik rescues him and takes him back to Var.
Back in the temple, Ku makes plans to defend the homeland. Arik asks that he go and find allies. Ku sends Chinso to accompany him, and gives Arik a luck spell to recite once a day to direct him towards allies, and a medallion to allow him and anyone he wants to return to the temple.
Meanwhile, Aqualo's forces are blocked by an invisible wall around the city of Var. He decides to conquer the neighboring villages and wait for their resolve to fail.
Characters
Main characters:
- Arik: A messenger boy from the port city of Rin Tanuki. He is familiar with the flags of pirates and seafarers, and identifies the Qor's flag. He is transformed into a beaver.
- Emperor Ku: Ruler of Os-Var-Khai. He treats himself like a servant tending the garden.
- He wears golden robes. His fur color changes between the different colors of the rainbow.
Supporting:
- Aqualo: Leader of the invasion force. He is a warlord lich, and a servant of Qor. His skull is decorated with runes and paintings.
- Froebel Kahn: The fat ruler of the port city of Rin Tanuki. He ignores the Emperor's predictions, and along with Arik, is one of the only survivors of Rin Tanuki. He is transformed into a raccoon to learn resourcefulness and meekness.
Minor characters:
- Pao: A rabbit monk, prognosticator, and an advisor to Emperor Ku.
- Chinso: A dragon who rings the gong. He is long, serpentine, and capable of flight despite being wingless.
Cameo:
- Various monks in the Temple:
- A badger in gold armor, one of the Temple guards;
- A pig who welcomes Arik and Pao;
- A panther who waters plants;
- A salamander who is retiling a floor mosaic;
- Kori, a fish man. Normally six feet tall, he uses shrinking magic to explore the microscopic world.
Referenced:
- Ye: A scientist. Ku sends him to Metamor Keep.
- Mong Ho: A mage. Ku sends him to Metamor Keep.
- Wasoko Desuka: Emperor Ku's personal servant. Ku sends him to Metamor Keep.
Locations
- The Temple of the Creator of All Things is a prominent temple in the city of Var. The Emperor Ku resides here.
- The walls are decorated with paintings, sculptures, murals, and tapestries, all made by the monks for themselves. The main hallways have trees, lit by stained glass skylights. There are also indoor gardens with clear glass ceilings to let in sunlight and air.
- Also among the rooms is an enormous low-vaulted room, painted black with white specks, for astronomers and astrologers to read the signs in the heavens.
- The only humans at the temple are visitors; every resident is a human-animal mix.
- Khumar is the island which Os-Var-Khai and several unaffiliated cities reside upon.
- Rin Tanuki is a port city on the east shore of Khumar. It is implied to not be a part of Os-Var-Khai, but is friendly with the kingdom.
- The city of Khai Hon lies on a relatively direct line from Var to Rin Tanuki.
Points of interest
- Animal transformation is not just reserved for Temple monks, but for all those devoted to the Creator, and for those in need of absolution. The type of animal seems to be based on which traits the initiate needs to learn.
