"Don't shoot the messenger" is a phrase taken very lightly throughout the World of Tor as the Bureau of Bad News continues to fuel its power by delivering terrible fates from its golden throne in the City of Trig. Anyone who receives such a letter, and is read out loud, will face a terrible demise, and so will the deliverer. These "Messengers" are considered bile as they travel to deliver such misfortunes, so why would James Roger Clemit volunteer for such a job? Be ready to be engaged in a swash-buckling adventure as James finds himself embarking on a journey of self-discovery, including swashbuckling combat, a Hunter with a death wish, trees that fight bears (and win), talking swords, and moose with Pegasus wings. While James cannot fully contemplate why he had been placed in such a world-altering position, a mysterious god notes that everything is going according to plan.