 They discover Frazhin controlling the Karchlord with poisoned merlee eggs, and keeping the other inhabitants under control using khiz ures to stop him.Set 20 years after "Song Quest, Crystal Mask" introduces Rialle's son Renn as a novice at the Echorium, who must travel overseas when the arrival of Shaiala, a wild girl who claims to have been raised by centaurs, casts doubt on the long-held belief that Frazhin is dead.Between them, they discover that Frazhin, with the help of his lover Yashra, has been kidnapping children and enslaving Half Creatures in an attempt to build a khiz palace of the Songs to rival the Echorium.