"In the realm of Lichigan, near the village of Nasty Hatchet, in deep woods there rests a rock." Shalm has little affection for the remote frontier village of Nasty Hatchet, but it has become her sanctuary in need. Ever since she arrived, hungry and in the company of a young boy named Alders, the suspicious town has been a haven for the reclusive warrior. Beyond the villagers' prying, her concerns include securing enough food to last the winter and dissuading Alders from hunting expeditions with their charismatic landlord. That all changes when a monster breaches the walls of the town by daylight, ravaging livestock and threatening the villagers. Some local youth have gone missing, and an enchanted rock deep in the forest may be part of the mystery as well. Plied with promises of safety and prosperity, Shalm reluctantly sends her seeming son off to safety, and joins the local sorcerer on a quest to discover what is rotten in Nasty Hatchet.