A DROP IN THE OCEAN? A raid upon the high seas signals an attack of unprecedented magnitude by the forces of darkness. But the daring assault upon the Temple of Ishap goes dramatically wrong and the prize, the Tear of the Gods, sinks beneath the waves of the Bitter Sea. The most powerful artifact known to the Temples of Midkemia, this colossal gem allows the priests to speak with their gods. Without it they are lost for a decade, until another is formed in the distant mountains. Squire James, William, and Jazhara must seek out the location of the gem, with Brother Solon, a warrior priest of Ishap, and Kendaric, the sole member of the Wreckers' Guild with the power to raise the ship. But they are opposed by the minions of the Dark God, who seeks to possess the Tear for his own ends. A breathless race for a priceless treasure, against time, myriad sinister and competing evil forces, and ultimately against the fundamentals of nature, which in Midkemia can be as formidable as the Gods themselves...