In the world of the Maple Leaf, magic - true speech - was given to people by the Creator and it is controlled by the Church. The church accepts those who have been given the gift of the creator into its service. So the rootless Oris turned into the gramard and noble gift of Maurice Yolder. The road leads Oris and Castor to Burgan - a small town at the foot of the High Land, but instead of rest and a hot dinner, another mystery falls on their heads - water has disappeared from the Black Lake. But this is not all the strangeness - something drove the abbot of the monastery to madness, and the burgomaster locked himself in his house in horror. The last support of people is the head of the Chambers of Commerce, who does not like Oris at first sight... But the desire to solve riddles is stronger than hostility and Gramard decides to stay in the lost town. But something magical instinct suddenly began to fail...