About 10 years have passed since the return of the true Lord Valentine to the throne, and, of course, new problems have begun. The Metamorphs, having failed in their attempt to replace the human rulers of Majipoor, begin a new stage in the struggle to regain power over the planet. People's agricultural crops are subject to a massive attack by pathogens of numerous and varied plant diseases, which, with such a large population as lives on Majipur, will inevitably and quite quickly lead to famine. Rumors begin to spread in the cities about the illegality of the reign of Coronal Valentine and about the imminent return of the “old gods” - the great sea dragons. Cities on Cymroel rebel against Valentine and either declare themselves independent or put forward their own claimants to the throne. Human civilization on Majipur is on the verge of collapse...