Trachos, a Lord-Ordinator of the Celestial Vindicators, journeys back to his brethren, tortured by the horrors he has experienced in the underworlds of Shyish – and by his own failings. A voice in his head berates him… and he's sure it's not his own. A chance encounter with fellow travellers – an aelf agent of the Order of the Azyr, and a strange duardin who calls himself Gotrek – give Trachos new purpose – and a chance to gain what he seeks. As he leads the pair to the sinister Neverspike, he plans to be rid of them. But around such a being as Gotrek Gurnisson, plans have a habit of going wrong…