In Britain 740 AD, Merlin has three apprentices: Balthazar Blake, Veronica Gorloisen, and Maxim Horvath. Horvath betrays Merlin by allying with Morgana le Fay, an evil sorceress who mortally wounds Merlin before Veronica rips Morgana's soul from her body and absorbs it into her own. As Morgana attempts to kill Veronica from within, Balthazar stops her by imprisoning Morgana and Veronica in the "Grimhold", a magical prison in the shape of a nesting doll. Before dying, Merlin gives Balthazar his dragon figurine that will identify the Prime Merlinean, Merlin's descendant and the only one able to defeat Morgana. Throughout history, Balthazar searches for his descendant and imprisons Morganians, sorcerers who try to release Morgana, including Horvath, into the Grimhold.